Can we talk?

Harry, the Butcher

Harry is my dad. He's 80 in August. He still works 32 hours a week, usually more. After he retired at 68, he waited a month or two then went back towork. He's now with an organic outfit that caters to the university and elitist crowd.

Harry's been a butcher at some level since he was a teenager. For a while he was a manager with a meat company until the owner retired and closed the business. He's had quite a following at all the shops amd stores where he's worked.

One day two women in the current shop were talking about how long they've done business with him. One said, "I've been following Harry since he was at Carriage House, for about 17 years."

The other said, "I've been following Harry for 30 years."

The first lady said, "Oh, my. I hope he's going to Heaven."

He knows all about the grocery business, butchering, organic foods, labeling, FDA regulations. He certainly has the experience and he still likes to follow the news and keep up with changing times about these topics.

People have followed him because of his knowledge, but also his good service, good manners, his work with a smile, his old-fashioned work ethic, his professional attitude, his humor, and his honesty. And he gives cooking advice. He likes to chat with the customers, and he gets to know them. He's kept up with some customers' children who are now grown and doing their own shopping.

No doubt, it sounds like I'm bragging about my father. But I can see for myself that people genuinely like him; they respect him. He's never invented anything or had a high position job. He's never been rich. But he's earned their respect simply by working hard, being honest, reliable, and by being a good man. Those are qualities that can't be faked.

Harry, the butcher, has always been a family man. He looked after his own widowed mother and cared for his sister a great deal. His younger brother, now deceased, once told me that my dad was his hero. His mother-in-law and father-in-law loved him like he was one of their own. And he cared for them very deeply.

My mother's younger brother told me that when my mother and father were dating, Harry would take the whole family out. They had great outings together, trips to out-of-town restaurants, or walks in the park. Uncle Bob was six at the time. He said that he was falling in love with Harry the same time that his sister was.

Harry, the butcher is the best man I know. He is strong, and loving, kind and gentle. No one has ever doubted his toughness but at the same time he could be so tender. When Mom was in a nursing home for a while, he was there seven days a week, spending the evening with her, and putting her to bed at night.

I once read a little ditty out of the Saturday Evening Post aloud to my mother. It sounded like it was written for my mom and dad. I teared up and my voice choked a little at the end. Mom, who patiently listened to the whole thing without stopping me, said, "Your dad did the same thing when he read it to me." She said I was tender-hearted like him.

I never had a nicer compliment.