My father was a true Eccentric... (Part II)

(Photo - family archives)

Well, you asked and it is true.

 My parents were different - they came from two "worlds" of eccentric behavior.  Their understanding of society their own.

To be their only son I had the inheritance and privileges to observe at close these characters of an older era and the originality of their characters. I do think born to these conditions and to have the good fortune to understand what I saw made my life more interesting.

It is not my intention to portray my father whom I have inherited certain ranges of interest and veins of thought. Only a section of his character.

The behavior of our ancestors reincarnated once more in my dear father. The family shows a string of several successful literary members and artists - Could this be the answer? Very likely not. My father never wrote any books or any great poems of note although he was a gifted writer and could write at large. He did always find something to do and did this meticulously whatever it would be at the time. His eccentricity was clearly a family trait and he definitely displayed many unusual behaviors and habits in his daily life.

In his health and food habits - in his obsessive collections as well as in his artistic creations and inventions.

He had a vivid visual imagination and could explain in detail the most interesting stories. His rules - nobody else's.

Was it a limited choice that life presented for him?

He found a refuge in himself - Perhaps work, simplicity, collecting, and the sporting life narrowed down to his own perceptions. His unusual eating habits when convinced that he would live on a certain fish sort for years (which he did) or his focus on the onion family Alliaceae...(well then..garlic)for its culinary and medicinal purpose (but raw?)and was it just European garlic from specific regions in Italy and France - I never asked.

His habit of filling rooms to the "ceilings" with collections of whatever amused and interested him at that time for some years to come...He did not posses a great understanding...for life outside his own - his opinions could never be bent or molded...

His standards were high and he had many rules. We had numerous discussions and he spoke to me about family, honor, tradition and responsibility.  I thank him, indeed because he taught me and I got to understand at an early age that life is far more interesting than we can ever imagined. 


Our winds of thoughts are our blossoms to free ourselves and open our minds to make use of our desires, dreams, aspirations, and ideals.

My father did... so do I - Just slightly different...