Who Are You Now?

Who Were You Then?

One of the things I discovered about my mother long after she had passed was that she was an excellent photographer. This incredible shot of a street scene at the Vatican was taken with a small, Bakelite Brownie.

I don’t remember how the subject came about, but the other day, Little Bean commented on how she was surprised that I owned a newspaper.

To be clear, I do not own a newspaper. Since 2000, I’ve been a founding member and continue to carry an ownership share in the best darn arts and entertainment newspaper in New England, HippoPress. For twelve years I proudly served as editor and in the advertising department. Then I moved on to book writing and touring. And then, two and half years ago, I (also) proudly became director of the best darn library in New England.

That’s what Little Bean knows me as, that’s how she identifies me, library dad. To her, that’s what I do.

So, when she learned about that ‘other’ career, the one where if you open that particular newspaper my name is still listed as associate publisher, she was both surprised and confused. He did something before library dad?

Wait’ll she figures out some of the other things I did, whoa boy.

As I often do, this got me thinking about my own parents and the people they were before they were my parents. Sure, my dad basically spent his whole life as a steel worker, but he also spent time in Japan, and bowled and sang in a choir. My sister is always telling me about the times he tried to teach me about some of his interests like automotive repair or machine work, but that I was never interested.

I’ve always wondered why he didn’t pursue that more with me.

Or my mom, who I only knew as - well - a housewife. But she worked at a bank, and traveled extensively and loved music. She introduced me the The Beatles.

I didn’t really know any of that other stuff, though, till much later. I think often about what my legacy will be for Little Bean.

For the longest time, I had hoped she’d know me as a writer, that maybe someday she’d even be interested in reading my books. But lately, as her interest in writing and interviews grows, maybe my legacy will be as a journalist. But then again, she loves reading and spending time in the library, so it looks like that’s the most likely of legacy outcomes.

Perhaps it’ll be all of it. Maybe it will be none of it. Maybe I’ll just be the guy who drives her to basketball practice. I hope, at least, she’ll know I tried hard.

“Daddy,” she said, “if you own that newspaper then that means that we all own that newspaper so I can say that I own a newspaper, right?”

“Sure kid,” I laugh, “whatever I own, you own too!”

How about you? I’m not sure exactly how to phrase this question, so I’ll leave it at: What do you think your legacy will be?