Recently I heard my son talking about me to one of his co-workers. He was describing one of my idiosyncrasies (I don't recall which particular one as he has a choice of so many and a varied selection.)

As I listened, I realized he was doing it with a sense of pride and definitely a sense of humor. As he related one of my serious quirks, his co-worker tried to top him with a comparable nuttiness that he attributed to his own father.

It turned into a contest. "Whose male parent was more unusual and interesting?" I am not bragging, but I think my son was winning - hands down!

Fathers have more leeway in this screwball area than do mothers. Mothers have to be kind and steadfast and true to all good things. They have to be a "Rock of Gibraltar" and be ready with love and affection at any time of the day or night that they are called upon.

In the early 20th century, the mother was in control of the home and the hearth.

In the old days, it was the father who left the homestead and ventured forth into "the jungle" to bring back sustenance to his anxiously awaiting brood. He met more outside people and had many more external experiences than his wife. He had many more stories to relate and many more zany yarns with which to entertain the wife and kids.

Besides an inheritance, what are we, as fathers, going to leave our wives and children? It is my contention that we should leave them some good stories and experiences. That is more lasting than the money, the house and the stocks and bonds that are willed to them. Also, the Internal Revenue Service can't tax those benefits.

Remember fathers - "Kookiness is next to Godliness." Don't be restrained. Do and say what you truly feel. It is your legacy and it will be long remembered.

It is a serious duty in these serious times not to be too serious.