The Man Who Raised Me

Some people like me

Perhaps a few don’t

But whatever it be

I am what I am

But not because of me

The man who raised me

When I first met him my mom asked something of me

Like the brat I was, I simply said “No!”

Believe me

It was one of the last times I disrespected my mother

He built me a cool plastic toy-box that week too

Yes, that’s my father, old-school

Mmm, he’s not my technical father?

Well if you’re so smart then you tell me

What a real father is

Because yea yea

I’m a good guy, I try

But I know where my capabilities lie

Selfishness, deceit, manipulation, thievery, craftiness

But you might never know it

Because I have a father

Who said you gotta give before, and more, than you take

Who taught you can’t just live life for yourself son

Who said honesty is key, the number one rule

Who taught me to be a straight-up and stand-up man

Who built a home where lying was the ultimate sin, a spanking every time

All I had to do was tell the truth dang it

Who said you can’t play around with people. It’s not right

Who taught me that you gotta work with not against

Who said you gotta have respect for people’s things

Who taught me to have respect for another’s property

Respect

That’s a common word in my house

That’s the way my father raised his two boys

With respect

You can’t go through life doin’ whatever you want

Respect for peoples things

Respect for people’s business

Respect for older adults

Yes sir and no sir

Yes maam and no maam

Don’t ever ‘yea’ to your mom. Say yes maam

Do what you’re told

Speak when spoken to

And don’t ever

Show disrespect

And when you respect others

They’ll respect you

As a cop for nearly two decades he’s seen a lot

He uses those things as lessons on how not to be

Tells me what can happen to a man, what he can do to his life

How people are stupid, but how I’m better than that

Cuz I come from a different home

And he’ll kick me out if I did somethin’ so dumb

I make him sound too scary

He’s a wickedly funny man

He’s great at the Shobbos table

And he never forgets

To reward and acknowledge the good and a job well done

He taught me to have dignity in my things

Take pride in what you earn and earn what you have

Take care of your things and they’ll last forever

Keep things clean, have somethin’ to show for yourself

He taught me dignity in myself

Don’t act/speak/dress like that

People are gonna be lookin’ at you like you’re some kinda hooligan

And wondering where the heck that boy’s raised

He taught me responsibility

All actions have a consequence

And clean up after yourself it aint that hard

And don’t ever do a half job

You do it all the way, the right way, the first time

And then you don’t gotta keep doing it again and again

And in all things in life you gotta be that way

He spoke often to me about how a man thinks and lives

He told me a lot on how to go about life

Sitting down he’d tell me the importance of family

He’d tell me how I should raise my kids…

…And I should send ‘em over

So he can spoil ‘em rotten and then send ‘em back…

And those things he told me I’ll never forget

And one day I’ll tell my kids the same

Parents raise parents which is how I know I’ll be good

My father raised me the way his dad raised him

Grandpa Staples is a true rags to riches man

And he told my father who also told me

That you know you did well…

So long as your children and their families do well

Growing up tatty didn’t have much

So the things he had and the things his family cared for

Were the things that matter.

And so I feel myself lucky, that ourselves were never rich

That I didn’t become conceited or spoiled

That my father works and works

So I can go to yeshiva and make him proud

We don’t have the kinda relationship others have

It’s not like either one of us ever says I love you

Or any of that other fluffy crap of today.

When I’m away at school we hardly speak

When I’m at home he always works

But when we’re both around and having a good time

Building the succa or watching the game

Cleaning for Shobbos or having Kiddush

He knows and I know.

So no need for the fluffy stuff

So there we have it, just a glimpse

To know where I came from so I can know where to go

Whether you think I’m good or bad

Unique or clique

A success or a washout…

I am who I am and always will be

Because of my tatty…

…Who is who he is and always was

Happy birthday to him