Pam and Tipper – Senior Prom
Pap and Granny showered my bothers and me with unconditional love and were always there to lend a helping hand-truly the best parents ever. However, I must admit, there were times I thought my parents were so old fashioned that they truly didn’t understand the world-like I did.
I recently read a poem about parents and the jist of it was: as a child you idolize your parents, as an adolescent you think your parents are clueless, as an adult you realize your parents have great wisdom.
Pap has told me more than once-he never had to worry about Paul or Steve-only about me. I wasn’t a bad kid-but I did give Pap and Granny more grief than either of my brothers. Pap is fond of saying “Tipper was the one who wanted to loafer to much”, he meant I was always on the go.
Looking back-I see many times I should have taken Pap and Granny’s advice-I see clearly how right they were about a few bad decisions I made.
One of those times-My first job was at McDonald’s-since I was still in school I worked mostly nights and weekends. One night it snowed during my shift at work. Pap called and suggested since I was a new driver, it would probably be safer if he came and picked me up. My superior teenage brain decided I could drive-what was a little snow. On the way home I wrecked and totaled my car. I was perfectly fine-but so mad at myself! Pap and Granny could have both given me the “if you’d just listened to us” speech, but they didn’t. Pap even consoled me by saying if he had come and got me-maybe he would have wrecked and we’d both been hurt.
There are lots of “should-have-listened-to-momma-and-daddy” songs. Two that come to mind “Momma Tried” by Merle Haggard and “Where Corn Don’t Grow” by Travis Tritt. For this week’s Pickin’ & Grinnin’ In The Kitchen Spot-Early One Morning a true should have listened to momma song.
Hope you enjoyed that good picking! Interesting tid bit about the song-Pap remembered pieces of it from childhood-but him and Paul could never find the rest of the words or who wrote it. So they improvised and made up their own.
As you look back over your life, is there a time you wished you had followed the direction of your parents?
Tipper
p.s. If you’ve ever heard the old song-please let me know.
Tipper I was the same way about my parents. When I was a teenager I knew everything and my parents did not know anything. Like you that attitude changed as I grew older. Dennis Morgan
I know Johnny Cash sang a song called Early One Morning, but it doesn’t have the same words and isn’t nearly as good as this one by Pap and Paul. Glad all the guys got together for this one too. And you already know what my favorite part was. 🙂
You don’t look much different now than you did then either. Loved the eye shadow and the dresses.
I was considered my mother’s problem child. Nothing bad, but I was always in trouble for something or other because I was too independent. Some lady even came and told my mother that she saw me and my friends on the corner smoking. I was already on “lock down” at that time, but I took the whipping until she realized it was my sister the woman had seen. My sister never got the whipping I got, and I never got an apology either.
My brothers were the real heck raisers. The police even came to the house one day and said my brothers were throwing eggs at them from their bedroom window upstairs at the back of the house. xxoo
I just can’t believe you were the “trouble child!” That’s a job for the boys. At least it was in my house.
I was a goody-two-shoes, honestly, so I never strayed too far from my parents’ advice. And they didn’t shower advice on me all the time anyway. They raised me to know their opinions of right and wrong, and I didn’t have to ask or be told if what I was doing fit into those opinions. They never liked one of my boyfriends (who I dated for SIX YEARS), but never complained about it. I knew they didn’t like him, but they were nice to him. When it was finally over, I said to my mother, “I can’t believe how much time was just wasted.” The only thing my mom said was, “I know.” Your parents, it seems, had some similar methods of raising children.
the picking is perfect ! and that poem , so very true!
Tipper I have not hear that song before but I like this version that Pap and Paul put together. Great sounding as usual. I remember my father telling me not to date a guy that I was with because he stood me up once. He said that if he didn’t respect me enough to call that he was not worth being with. I didn’t listen and sure enough he turned out to be a dud. My father was right.
Just stopped by to read and to listen. Always such a treat! blessings, Kathleen
Afternoon Tipper! Loved the song and the boys getting their chance to shine. Wow, Tipper, if I ever need to cast a role in a script requiring Naomi, I’ll put your name right there with her! And she too was rebelious at that age.
But what also struck me is how much I saw your daughters in you!
As far as not following my parents’ advice… Believe it or not, at that age, I was just so involved with my scholarship to college, I didn’t have a life to rebel for. I lived a very studious four years. *laughing* Dull, but true!
I feel like I’ve heard that song before. And I can’t think where. That’s going to bug me all day!
Grrr….
Love this post and particularly the picture of you in a prom dress with your pal. Boy those dresses bring back memories! I have one like your friend’s that I loved!
Blessings!
Lacy
Love the song. As always.
I’m reminded of the times you catch yourself thinking – I sound like my parents!
I can’t remember thinking I wish I had listened. I guess I pretty much did listen.
My daughter and I were talking recently about what she would expect from her daughter who isn’t even a year old yet. My daughter told me she would tell Lily that Grandma was right – THAT meant a lot!
Great job on the song, guys! Amazing how they can just fill in the words and run with it–so creative.
I love the story of how Pap just let you learn your lesson without hammering you when you got home!
The advice that comes to mind is my mom saying, “Be true to yourself,” and there have been many times in my life when I haven’t. It’s still advice I need to hear today at this moment!
I’m a fellow high school McDonald’s worker…I bought my first car, a blue 1979 Chevy Chevette with those earnings. 🙂
It is amazing how the older I get, the smarter my parents seem to be.
We finally got our speakers fixed and I am able to enjoy your music again! I have missed it!
Very nice! Thanks for sharing!
It’s so true Tipper! Great post and I love the song 🙂
So lovely they didn’t say I told you so. They were just so happy you were safe.
There where many times I thought I was smarter then my parent.
Pay backs are Hell (I now have a 13 year old daughter, who is much smarter then me)
Tipper: I did enjoy the story and the directions you were given. That was some neat picking in the kitchen. I can’t share any similar stories. I did most of what my parents told me although not an angel by any means. I guess I was just lucky when I didn’t listen. Thanks for sharing this story.
Tipper,
If we had only known when we were young what we know now – that our parents were wise. I have also gone against my parent’s advise – Dad was mainly the one to give advise – and regretted it afterwards. Great post. I enjoyed visiting, as always.
Blessings,
Mary
Amazing how so many of us come full circle about our parents. 🙂
Loved this post!
Goodness how you look like your parents. It is amazing to me how right my parents were about things, but because of their love let me fall on my face a few times because I didn’t follow their advice. I love them for it and hope that my kids realize it sooner than later that Momma and Daddy are always right. 🙂
More times than I care to count, I should have listened. Hind sights 20/20, right?
I’ve not heard that song. I hate it when I can’t remember the words to a song.
Oh, yeah, I enjoyed the boys solo lead on the mandolin and guitar!
Your daughters sure do look like you in that picture ~ or shoud I say YOU look like your daughters in that picture? Anyway, ya’ll look alike! 8c] I also worked at McDonalds and … um … yes … there were a few times I wished I’d listened to my parents ….