Every day, every week, every month, ever year, every Father’s Day, there are new memories about my Dad. It says a lot about William Benfield Armstrong who left us 18 years ago.
I’ve heard the question for years. In high school, Marine Corps Basic Training, college, Network News, 31 years at Channel 7 Boston, and, now, almost 19 years into retirement. The same question.
I hear the question and, involuntarily, ask, “Huh”?
No, it’s not about coping with racism, hearing affliction, or being just over 5 feet tall in a 6 foot tall world. It’s about how I walk. Yes, you hear correctly. How I walk.
Growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, many kids used to mimic the walk of John Wayne, James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Robert Mitchum, Cary Grant, Burt Lancaster and other movie celebrities.
Minority kids showed off their “Diddy Bop” (long before the Rap artist) walk. A street gait that puffed up your neighborhood creds with the boys and girls. You’ve seen this “Bop” almost stereotyped on TV cop shows and movies. Black-oriented comedy shows, played “the walk” straight or played it for laughs.
These various copy cat walks were not for me. Early on, I found myself watching my Dad walk. Many times I met him at the bus or railroad station when we lived in Queens in the late 40s and early 50s. I had to sometimes skip to keep pace with his fast-paced walk. Dad walked ramrod straight with a steady rhythm. Very military. Very self-aware and self-possessed. Some of it was Staff Sgt. Armstrong, Army veteran of the Battle of the Bulge and other European action in World War Two. Some of it was Antigua-bred, his walk with pride of his bearing.
The sum total was unique. So, the oldest of the three Armstrong sons, chose Dad’s special walk over a mimicked Duke Wayne swagger.
I think I tried to explain it a couple of times but other kids didn’t buy it. They were too much into bullying and making fun of me until I had my memorable Junior High battle. The bully was floored by a Bill Armstrong taught southpaw punch instead of his stoic walk. Actually, the walk preceded the punch. What a 1-2 arsenal! The schoolyard wanker never saw it coming. Dad was as proud of me as if I had won the Junior Lightweight crown at Madison Square Garden.
My Dad’s amateur boxing status was very real. He was a champ in bouts staged during the War. It was a welcomed sport to relieve tension among the GI’s fatigued from battle.
My Dad knew his boxers the way I grew up knowing my baseball players. We bonded watching Gillette’s “Friday Night Fights”. I absorbed Dad’s commentary as we watched Joe Louis, Kid Gavilan, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake LaMotta and even a young Cassius Marcellus Clay. Sometimes I muted the audio so Dad could do the play by play. He always smiled when that was done. Those were very special father-son evenings for me.
As usual, I digress. This is about Dad. His walk. Dad was versatile and talented, a very talented man. He was a world class tailor and carpenter. My father, at one point, worked for an elite Manhattan Men’s Clothier. Very elite. One evening, Dad took me to work. I was still an adolescent. 11, maybe 12-years-old and very naive.
We walked past limousines parked outside and into the store where apparently wealthy gentlemen, all white, were surrounded by staffers. Also all White. Dad was greeted as if he was a senior executive. I followed his ramrod straight gait – past the salesmen, customers and coat-holders – into the tailors’ area where Dad was greeted like the CEO. I blinked like I understood. Dad obviously was a VIP – a man among his peers.
A couple of young men, blue eyed with crew cuts, collegiate sweaters, khakis and loafers — swept up clothing parts and shared giggles. They spotted my Dad and quickly blurted, “MISTER Armstrong, Sir, How are you? This is your son, right? Obviously cut from the finest cloth, right, Mr. A.”? My Father responded with a smile that clearly wasn’t a smile. The college boys shrank back to their duties. Nearby, there was light, nervous laughter.
I was introduced to pipe smoking men who looked like British actors from my favorite movies. They referred to my Dad as “Bill, best man in the company”. One compliment after enough as Dad showed me his working place. His tailor’s work tools. I just kept blinking as a couple of co-workers came over to seek his advice on a “special job that needed to be finished right away”. He gave them that impatient sigh I’d heard at home. But he also smiled and gave the advice so badly needed with minimum words and a quick show of hands how to best tailor the suit for the V.I.P. Sighs of relief from the co-workers who almost bowed to Dad.
Later, there was an echo of “Goodnight, Bill!” as we left the ritzy store. Dad merely smiled and nodded as he walked proudly out of the place.
All the way home – on the subway and bus – I wanted to ask questions. But Dad was very quiet, almost bemused, I thought.
Finally, striding down 177th street, Dad slowed his pace a bit and offered, “Garry, don’t be misled by those men you met tonight. We don’t live in their world. But, at work, I make sure they know I am their equal. My work speaks for itself. I don’t have to do any shouting or boasting”. I looked up at Dad as we approached our house. In the receding light of that summer’s evening, he looked more than 6 feet tall.
As we walked into the house, I mimicked my Dad’s gait.
Walk like a man!
Categories: #Photography, Garry Armstrong, old photograph
Your walk will do, pilgrim.
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Thanks, Rich. YOU’LL do.
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Very touching, Garry, and so true. Your dad was spot on!
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Covert, thank you. Yes, Dad was THE man in so many ways. Thanks, again.
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I’m glad you have good memories. That’s awesome indeed.
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Thanks for sharing your memories, Garry. He sounds like wonderful man, the perfect man for you to imitate, walking or working.
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Thanks, Trent. You are right. Dad was the man to imitate. Just hope I got it right.
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A lovely tribute to your dad, Garry, and very interesting too.
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Thanks, Roberta. Dad cast a long shadow.
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What a wonderful father Garry and a perfect example for his children.
Leslie
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Thank you, Leslie. No need to ‘print the legend’. It is all absolutely true.
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He was one of the most charming, gracious men I’ve ever known. You were very lucky to have him as you dad!
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Marilyn, Thanks. He liked you. He left rather large footsteps for his 3 sons.
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You had a wonderful role model in your dad. Love this post.
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Sadje, thanks. I just barely understood Dad as a young fella. These day, my appreciation is ten fold.
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That’s so true. As kids we are unable to appreciate our parents. It’s only when they are no longer with us that we realize how wonderful they were.
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Sadje, would love to have a ZOOM chat with Mommy and Daddy (it’s how the 3 Armstrong sons addressed them all the days of their lives)
Wonder if they have ZOOM up there? Wonder if their Cable is okay up there?
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I don’t think they need zoom or cable!
But wouldn’t we all love to talk to them at least once.
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Sadje, you betcha! In a heartbeat!
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👍👍👍
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I wonder if you realize just how blessed you were to have such a father! A true “dad’? I was equally as lucky. I’m glad you shared a bit about your hero (for he was to you, wasn’t he?) today. I got to share some about my hero too. Here’s to great dads!
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Melanie. Thanks. Yes, we were fortunate to have Dads who were genuine heroes and imbued a set of ethics for us to follow in the darkest times.
I’ll share your toast — Here’s to all the great Dads, Bless ’em all.
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Ah, this lovingly told tribute to your dad had me nearly in tears. He truly was a remarkable and wise man. Thank you for sharing your memories, very appreciated.
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Kiki, thanks. Seen through the eyes of an adolescent. The images are still very bright and clear.
And, now, I understand WHAT Dad was telling me.
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I think you should read A Man named Ove…. it’s a Swedish book but I meant to read it in English until I realised I could just as well buy it in German and I did. It’s about honorable men and fathers and more….. unusual but quite unique.
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This is wonderful, from start to finish, Garry!
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Becky, thanks so much. Easy to write. Just had to edit the memories so they would make sense.
I hope Dad and Mom are celebrating and singing today – with voices joined in love.
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I hope so, too, Garry!
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Garry, you have beautifully honored your father’s memory. What a fine gentlemen he was! I’m sure you walked like a man, too, through all those years of reporting. You are blessed with a powerful legacy.
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Patricia, thank you. As someone just said, we are writing about our heroes today — if you were as lucky as I was.
I must remember today — walk RAMROD straight — like a man. No grumbling about aches.
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What a tribute to what a man!❤️
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Beth, thanks. And,Dad, also says ‘thank you’ with that charming smile. The pride of the Armstrong family!
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