I AM NOT A TIE GUY

I really dislike them. Not at all comfortable. I feel like I am being hanged when wearing one. Yes, I do own a few out of necessity but you will never see me cry over not needed one. I have five all together. My favorite, if possible, is my Spider-Man tie. Looks awesome with Spidey climbing down a wall with a black background, brilliant. Two are work related in the colors of green and yellow. Not the most appealing of duos, but it’s work, not meant to be fashionable only functional. The other two, a black strip and a red stripe. are typical style for a night out, funeral or wedding. Don’t think ties are needed to go to the comic shop, if so then I have been very under dressed.

They do look lovely because my wife, Kelly, picked them out because I cannot match to save my life. I have always looked presentable thanks to Kelly. She knows how to make me look human (ish). I have worn all four of these ties. The fifth one on the other hand is a different story. It is long and tan color which I will never wear because I do not own it to wear. I own it for a memory.

The tie belonged to my father, Dean, he was always more comfortable in a suit and tie. He was color blind so many of his shirts were white; trousers black and ties a mix of black, blue, grey, brown and dark red. Went well with his black socks, black belt and black shoes. He wore clothes like a well fitted uniform even weekend attire. Anyway, why the tan tie? That was his board meeting tie. Later in life his job became business casual, to his dismay, so the only time he got to wear ties were for board meetings; presentations or formal conference dinners. The tan tie was used for board meetings and went with anything.

On a particular day in Wednesday November 3oth, 2005, dad had two important morning meetings to attend but postponed both later in the day. They were his meeting therefore he felt he could make that call. When asked by one of his co-workers as to why, he replied, ‘I need to meet someone.’ And that was true, dad did have someone to meet.

He wanted to meet his first granddaughter, Kathryn Ann Lewis, my daughter. He always called Kathy, no one else did. That was his name for her. They had a great relationship and understood each other well. Both like explaining things to each other, dad was more technical as Katy was is more abstract like me. She never understood why dad pulled Oreos apart but accepted that.

It hit us all hard when dad passed away in 2018, but it took a while for me and Kelly to see just how it affected Katy. She was too busy worrying about everyone else to show it. Dad lives on in her memories in the little things that he gave her over the years. A little angel on a string he got her the day she was born; musical toy flowers for her first birthday and so many other things.

So I keep a tie in a drawer that will never be used because it reminds me that dad put family before work. Didn’t see how significant to those who knew him. He felt that he missed a lot of our childhoods due to work but I always felt that he was there for the important moments. On November 30th 2005, he proved I was right. Love you, dad.