ON JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT...

In keeping with Father’s Day, I need to tell a couple more stories about my dad.

In 1974 I was living in Hoyt, New Brunswick.  Dad was always coming up with something fun, different, and sometimes “off the wall stupid things to do!”  Like the winter when I had gotten skis for Christmas. There were no real ski hills around Hoyt so dad devised a plan and we went over onto the Gillett Road that was always snow-packed. He tied a rope to the back of the Impala and set me up to do this kinda water ski stunt where he would pull me behind the car at 90 miles per hour! He really thought I should tie the rope around my waist! I said, “What do you think I am....some kinda nut?” He just smiled! I chose to hold the rope rather than tie it! Even then the road had its limits and so did I since I didn’t have a clue how to ski! When he ran out of road....I didn’t!  I remember shooting across the 101 down into someone’s field nearly wiping out into someone’s shed!.  What a dad! We were doing this JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!

Solex Moped

One day, dad and I were in Fredericton, New Brunswick just exploring and doing it JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT! My dad loved to explore! We found ourselves in Marysville at a new cycle shop that was importing Solex mopeds from France.  They were quite an item! It was a motorized bicycle with a single cylinder, gas engine that was attached to the front wheel. They carried a price tag of $650. I really wanted one. So dad bought me one. I scooted all over Hoyt on that little contraption. It could travel at the speed of sound.....well, actually 23mph, downhill, and with the wind at your back...and pedaling!

There was an elderly man who lived in Hoyt named Jonathan Kingston.  He lived in a tiny one room house in the village. My dad thought the world of Jonathan and would visit him often. His little house was always spotless.  He loved to show us how he could bounce a quarter on his bed! Jonathan always spoke with a raspy voice not much louder than a whisper. Whenever he would see you he would sneak up behind you, tap you on the shoulder with one finger and say, “Ya don’t like me, do ya?” He would wait for you to respond, “Oh yes, I like ya Jonathan!” Then he would smile from ear to ear showing his all three of his teeth. He had his own bicycle. Jonathan went everywhere on that bike.

Dad thought perhaps he would like to have one of these mopeds so we showed him mine.  Jonathan loved it. He said, “I want one!” So he shelled out $650. and we took him to Fredericton and we bought a Solex for Jonathan. He had some trouble understanding how the engine actually worked and often would stop the Solex and would forget to lift the engine off the front wheel resulting in the friction wheel burning the rubber on the front tire.  We would see Jonathan from time to time and the blue smoke would be rolling off the front wheel. After totally destroying the first tire within the first month, dad said, “I don’t think this is working too well for Jonathan.” So dad bought the Solex from Jonathan which now meant we had two instead of one.  Dad was able to find Jonathan a different type of moped that worked much better for him.

I shall never forget the day that I got off the school bus at 4:10 and my dad jokingly said to me, “We should take the two bikes to Saint John JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!” Dad was always very spontaneous, so this didn’t surprise me. I was so excited! I said, “Let’s do it!” We tried to figure out exactly how long it would take to get there and back. Dad thought we should be back home in two or three hours. I think our figuring was a little off! Anyway, I persuaded dad to do it, so off we went, clear to Saint John on two Solex bikes and without eating any supper.

So here was this grown man and a 15 year old son trekking to Saint John some 45 miles away on two motorized bicycles that only travelled a little faster than a man could run and we were doing it JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!


Route 101 out of Hoyt wasn’t too bad but when we got onto the Broad Road, the transport trucks were terrible! When they would pass us they would nearly blow us off the road. We had no helmets on, which wasn’t a law then, so dads hair would blow straight up and back in the wind!  Dad kept me laughing the whole way to Saint John! When we finally arrived, we were both very hungry, so we went to the Dixie Lee Takeout and had some chicken and fries.

We rode around for a little while that night in West Saint John just exploring and then dad said, “We probably should head for home.”  Going home was the longest trip of my life! And coldest trip of my life! I remember we didn’t laugh as much going home but it was still fun! I know I had saddle sores for a week...I’m sure dad did too! I thought we would never make it! We didn’t arrive home until 4 in the morning and I had school the next day!  We were gone almost 11 hours!

Perhaps some would say, “What a waste of TIME and sleep!” But I have to tell you that I will never forget that my dad took the TIME to ride to Saint John JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT with me! I wish we could do it again....Just once more!

The greatest gift of LOVE is TIME.  Not expensive gifts or gadgets. Just giving some of your time is worth more than money could ever do.  That’s one thing Jesus gave to people...His time. He felt that giving of his time was of more value than anything else.

To all the dads out there, go ahead, do something bizarre. JUST DO IT FOR THE FUN OF IT! Your son or daughter will love you for it! Do it before they get too old and before you’re gone! It’s all about creating memories and building a relationship.....JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!