This Is Your Life, Alden Griffin

Dad is a security guard. You might say, no, Dad used to be a security guard for General Dynamics. But that would not be true because he has been and always will be guarding his family in so many ways.

1930’s - From childhood he always worked hard to help his Mum, sister and brother struggle just to survive the depression. Digging potatoes is hard work. He was helping guard his family’s welfare even back then.

1940’s - The war saw him guarding as an MP in the bombed out countryside ofJapan. Once discharged, he took on the biggest guarding challenge of all when he married Mom. Little did he know they would have eight kids to feed, clothe and guard against any hardships that might come along. But even if had he known they would have so many children, he would have married Mom anyway. I had the advantage of being the first born and finding out how much Dad loves kids! I was born in 1948 and Dad began his guard duty watching over me to make sure I would survive living in an incubator for two months. Whatever it took he was willing to do it to see his new family come into being. Next came Dennis in 1949. I am not so sure I took to Dennis at first but Dad did, of course, this was his first son and I am sure he couldn’t have been prouder.

1950’s - Another daughter came along in 1952, Kathy. Dad was happy as a lark to have another baby but his growing family needed more money than he was making, so waving good-bye to his mother, brother and sister, he moved toRhode Island in search of work that would help him He already knew how to do that, us three kids were giving him plenty to watch out for. He began guarding his family’s welfare. What kind of job did he get…he became a guard, of course! He began getting paid for guard duty at Electric Boat in 1952.

The 1950’s was a busy time for “Griff” as he was called by his guard buddies. First a family car. If I remember correctly a black car with doors that opened in the middle. A beautiful apartment on the third floor of a hugePierce Streethouse owned by Mrs. Saco. She was a nice lady that let us watch Howdy Doody on her TV. Not everyone had TV’s back then but soon we did too!!! This is where I remember Dad trying to teach me to write letters of the alphabet, no wonder my handwriting is a mess!!! We also got another baby. David was next to come along in 1953. I remember him in a baby swing, and eventually he graduated to a rocking horse. He still likes to rock! Sometime before Bob was born we moved to the beach. MisquamicutBeachwas a short way fromWesterly. It was a very nice house but more babies meant more money. Dad took a job as a policeman on the beach. Now he was guarding his family, Electric Boat and Misquamicut. The only drawback to that job, for me, was when he picked me up in his police car while I was carrying groceries. I was afraid someone would see me and think I had done something wrong!!!

This was a time of going to the beach with Mom, or Dad took us all to Weekapaug Pond. We had picnics throughout our lives and they were always fun and Dad was always ready to go on one. And, did you know Dad can sing!!! I know it because I remember a trip intoWesterly, me sitting on the front seat and Dad singing to the radio. In 1957 Michael made his entrance into the world. Soon our wonderful cottage at the beach was too small, time for a move. Off toStonington Roadwe went, to a house like the one in “Cheaper by the Dozen”. More work than Mom or Dad ever thought would be required. Dad worked day and night trying to get that house in shape, carrying sheet rock by himself. He also worked multiple jobs doing anything he could to earn more money to guard his family’s welfare. He had given up his police duty at the beach and took a job at the gas station next door. I remember Dad and a bunch of us kids playing baseball behind that gas station. Somewhere in that timeframe he carved a submarine out of wood for me and painted it green and gray. I needed something for a school project. I think the teacher saw through it and knew I didn’t carve that sub!!! Dad also painted houses and cut trees for anyone needing it to earn extra money. Us kids had a ball at a Girl Scout camp where Dad was cutting trees and we were camping in the lodge. Bob chased field mice out of the stove and had fun doing it! Yuck!!! I hardly slept except in the daytime, too worried about the mice. Poor Dad worked himself silly cutting the timber. Mom may have been pregnant with Tim then. Anyway, in December 1959 Tim came along but was soon sick with double pneumonia. It was touch and go for a while but he pulled through. The 1950’s came to an end and we had a new beginning in a new town,Plainfield.

1960’s – Dad still working at Electric Boat which had become General Dynamics. All of us kids in school except Timmy and along comes…you guessed it…another baby. Bonnie Jean made her way into our lives and hearts in 1964. Timmy was a good little baby sitter so Mom could get some work done around the house. He’d get in the playpen with her so he could keep her happy.

Now when we went on a picnic we went to a state park so we could also pick blueberries. Dad always enjoyed those blueberries and Mom’s blueberry sauce was delicious. And speaking of food, whenever I cook spaghetti I always think of Dad making his wonderful pepperoni and hamburger sauce and taking a bite of the raw hamburger. Another YUCK!!!

The 1960’s also had its challenges for Mom and Dad. During the time from 1961 all the way through the 60’s they had teenagers at home. How frightful that must have been for them but Dad always kept us laughing and trying to get even a small smile out of us if we were out of sorts. Through all the many trials of those years, Dad and Mom loved all of us regardless of how we may have failed. We never felt unloved or fearful of anything regarding our lives. Dad was our guard against all harm. And, if he had a free day, it belonged to his kids and still does. Of all the things in the 1960’s that I remember about Dad, it was a trip he and I took to Memphis, Tennessee, of all places, to pick up Dennis and his friend (Gary, I think). He was just fun to be with on that long trip. Even Dennis will tell you that Dad never came down hard on him for that little escapade. ::::J

And speaking of trips, how about all those trips toPortland!!! They seemed endless but what fun we had when we got there. And finally how about the trip toFloridawhere Dad had all of us picking oranges. I would never make a living at that!

The 1970’s through today have brought lots of changes to our family and plenty of new family members, all who love our own personal security guard!!!

So as you can see, Dad was not a security guard, he still is a security guard, guarding our hearts.

Dad, I could not have asked God for a better Dad and to this day I would not choose anyone else if I could.

Love,

Priscilla

Dad has gone to Heaven since the writing of this "story", but he got to hear it as Mom read it to him a few years before his death.

Alden G Griffin