Did You Know: Jerry Townsend

I interviewed my dad and I learned a lot of neat tidbits about him.  I did this obviously for the portfolio but then it turned into really nice conversation with my dad. The questions varies from where he was born and his plans for the future.
            Jerry Townsend was born April 15, 1955 in Wellington, Ohio. This was cool because I just assumed he was born in Iowa. Dad’s role model growing up was his mother. His mom or my grandma was the best person I’ve ever known and ever will. He graduated out of Mid Prairie in 1973, Boo Golden Hawks! He had his first kid in 1976 when he was 21. I really, really hope, I don’t have kid anywhere near that age.

My Dad has taken a variety amount of trips such Washington D.C, Boston and Kentucky.

I went with him to Boston, we visited my brother Joey. It was fun We went to the Boston Tea Party and went to Dick’s Bar and Grill.The waitress there was a wise cracking Bostonian.

Dad’s favorite job was bulldozing, I had no idea that knocking stuff down, with big machine would be his favorite job but that makes a lot sense now, in retrospect.  His favorite ride, was his Cadillac. I didn’t expect this because my dad owns a Ford Victoria, Explorer, F150, Tarus  and two other vehicles (Ford Related). I thought for sure it was going to be a Ford vehicle. If you asked dad for his favorite pop, he would tell you Diet Coke. Big shocker, no just kidding he been drinking Diet Coke before I was even thought of as a human being.

If my dad could have a super power it would be flying. This was neat because my dad is a woodsman and a car guy, so asking was more than a left question then you might think. His answer I liked, I wouldn’t go with flying because what happens if you ram into hill going seventy miles per hours, you would be dead immediately. His favorite sports team is the EV bears, stay classy swag dad.

 His favorite pets were the two Saint Benards, Bubba and Sarah. These dogs were the bomb. They were loyal to the tooth and bone, they lived forever, and saved my life on not one but two occasions there are truly anything and everything you could want from a dog. If you ask my father about, what the coolest thing he ever did was. He would tell you that’s there to many to count. I heard that my dad was a stud back in day and I recently saw some of my baby photos and looks like Elvis in the good way.

Dad’s favorite show is Heat of the Knight. I was shell shocked when I heard this, the man watches Gunsmoke about 90% of the time. Dad enjoys going to sales in his free time, going to Duwas  and police auctions, I more of a Ebay man myself. The hardest challenge my Dad had to face was the 80’s farm crash, this was really bad for everyone in Iowa and it cools that my dad was actually a participant in U.S history.

 My dad says that computers are the biggest tech advance in his lifetime. This is probably the most accurate answer he could of given, make sense but I do feel that the internet could give the computer a run for its money (it’s the next chicken and egg situation).   Dad’s worst girlfriend experience is when “his” girl took off for the weekend with a another guy and left him with her kids, lets just say those kids were dropped off at their grandmas, later that weekend. This was by far the most surprising answer of this whole interview and even spawned more curiosity and more questions but those would take up the whole paper.

 I asked Dad who was his favorite president of all time was and he gave the nod to F.D.R.. He is really big into World War II ( his dad served in it) , but I didn’t expect F.D.R. He always talks about how Hoover did a lot of good stuff, but then F.D.R shut them all down. So the F.D.R pick was a wildcard to say at least. The biggest life altering event for my dad was changing professions. I could understand this, college I feel will be mine and it will be fun but scary. Dad’s favorite song “In the Ghetto” by Elvis Presley. This is cool because his moms favorite song would’ve been a Elvis Presley song, so its neat, than an artist made such a big impact on are family.

 I asked Dad how he feels 21^st century America is doing. He said its doing “alright”. This such a my dad answer and love every “Word” of it. Dads advice to young parents is to think before you act. I like to think of this as before you butcher your kids, rethink the situation one more time. Where were you ,when 9/11 happened: in the yellow house and doing laundry. The craziest thing Dad’s ever seen is 9/11.  To get the scoop on 9/11, read my persuasion paper. Dads advice for younger people is to focus on your studies. I must’ve listen to him, to be writing this paper right now. Dad’s plans for the future, is to raise his children and make zillions.  That sounds like a good plan to me.

I found out a lot of neat stuff my about my dad. This went from being a assignment to really cool conversation. I can thank portfolio for giving memories.