| The last time we were away alone - just my dad and | | | | onto something good. |
| me - was so long ago, my mind plays back the | | | | If they designed a city with my father in mind, Bangor |
| memories in sepia tones. We spent five days | | | | would be it. A fascinating mix of mountain man and |
| horseback riding and fishing in the backcountry of | | | | culture lover, Dad enjoys an evening at the symphony |
| California's High Sierras. I was fifteen. Oh man, I can still | | | | as much as a day at the creek with his trusty fishing |
| smell the catfish smoking on that cedar fire. Since then, | | | | pole. As we cruised the city in the Chevrolet |
| we'd enjoyed each other's company on several family | | | | Avalanche, we couldn't help but notice its interesting |
| vacations, but we hadn't experienced that archetypical | | | | layout of forest and farm lands abutting both urban |
| father and son bonding that only occurs when | | | | and suburban developments. |
| everyone and everything simply gets out of the way. | | | | On the first day, we enjoyed a picnic lunch at historic |
| After my mom passed away, I brought Dad out from | | | | Cascade Park with its waterfall and fountain, strolled |
| Las Vegas to live with us in Albany. I'm a real estate | | | | the galleries and art studios in downtown Bangor, and |
| developer, and I figured that apart from being in a | | | | relaxed heartily at the American Folk Festival, a |
| situation where he could find consolation from being | | | | three-day celebration of music, dance, and crafts. |
| close to family, he might be drawn to dabbling a little in | | | | Seeing Dad play air banjo while kicking his heels to the |
| my real estate affairs. I should note that my dad had | | | | ethnic stylings of the Klezmer Brass All Stars, was a |
| done rather well as a developer in Las Vegas before | | | | vision I'll always remember. |
| he retired. | | | | The next day, following a successful morning exploring |
| A couple of weeks after his arrival, I asked Dad to join | | | | the land I'm planning to develop, we pulled the |
| me for a weekend up in Bangor in Central Maine to | | | | Avalanche to the side of a shaded roadway. Fishing |
| check out a piece of property I had my eye on for a | | | | poles in hand, we made our away along a short path |
| commercial development. Autumn was approaching, | | | | to a strip of beach made for two. Here, alongside the |
| and it seemed a perfect time to gather up some | | | | magnificent Penobscot River, in the most pristine |
| end-of-summer memories for the coming winter. | | | | setting you could imagine, slap bang in the middle of |
| Dad did a double take as I opened the garage to | | | | Bangor (if you'll excuse the expression), we |
| reveal the brand-new Chevy Avalanche LTZ I had | | | | experienced a quintessential father-and-son moment |
| purchased the previous day. He's always had a soft | | | | we will always cherish. |
| spot for a good truck, but seeing this beauty had him | | | | For the drive back, Dad relented and it was my turn at |
| reciting Ode to a Chevy. I could see how proud he | | | | the wheel of the Chevy Avalanche. At this point I |
| was that his son had the wherewithal to own such a | | | | should add that we were both becoming rather |
| fine set of wheels. | | | | attached to the beautiful creature! We arrived in |
| It was hard for me, but of course I let him drive. | | | | Albany rejuvenated and excited to see the family. I |
| Gunning the VortecV8 engine along the highway on | | | | think both of us would agree that the weekend in |
| our way to Central Maine put a smile on Dad's face | | | | Bangor was the beginning of a wonderful new chapter |
| that almost unhinged his jaw. When he pulled the | | | | in the Williams family story. |
| Avalanche into the hotel in Bangor, I knew we were | | | | |