My sisters and I sat perched on our front stoop, as stalwart as the sailor in a bird’s nest responsible for alerting his brethren Land Ho! We anxiously competed to shriek that we saw Daddy first.

Jill and Sam

Those few words unleashed a burst of activity. Once spotted, the race was on to see who could “get Daddy first.” All three of us would race down the street in an effort to be first to kiss him. My older sister and I were fastest; I don’t remember my younger sister ever being first to reach him.

Kiss Me

More than 200,000 people visit County Cork Ireland annually to kiss the Blarney stone, believing they will become imbued with the power of persuasion after doing this. Cormac MacCarthy, owner of Blarney Castle was involved in a lawsuit and enlisted the help Cliodhna, Ireland’s goddess of beauty and love to safeguard against a losing verdict. Her mythological suggestion was to kiss the first stone he saw on his way to court to enhance his ability to eloquently plead his case. He won, and subsequently incorporated the stone into the structure of the castle.

Kissing the Blarney stone is not a casual undertaking, and not easily accomplished. The determined “kisser” must have a calculated plan, climb to the highest peak of the castle, lean over backwards and enlist the help of a willing accomplice to accomplish this chosen mission.

Just an Ordinary Night

What do you want? What do you need?

My father is an attorney. He is trained to listen and evaluate, and is expert at it. Albeit a loving parent, he is unemotional in his decision-making and not easily swayed. Tears are ineffectual, and he can wait out any hysterical fit or tantrum. His deductive ability to reason simply requires the presentation of facts, just the facts.

Hey Dad

I stood in his courtroom many many times before getting on the docket, which was in effect kept by the court clerk, my mother. I would think deeply about my proposal before approaching the bench. In reality nothing more than our family dining room. Sometimes I might embellish my request with arbitrary information, it never mattered. His courtroom was only interested in the truth. That’s all he would accept. What did I want, what did I need. He was the judge. He was the decider. He was my dad.

He kept reading, but he was smiling

Sometimes he was scary. Sometimes I cried anyway. Sometimes I asked my mother to plead my case as my able accomplice.  But in the end I was the always the singular plaintiff. Ultimately, while I didn’t always agree with the outcome, my father was always fair. His honesty, integrity, and loving nature remain unchanged.

Several months ago when Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund was charged with the sexual assault of a Sofitel Hotel housekeeper I asked my dad if he could believe what that guy did. “We don’t know what he did; we only know what they say he did.” Despite the fact that Strauss-Kahn had a documented lecherous history my father maintained the hallmark of American justice, innocent until proven guilty.

My Dad

DSK was arrested and posted a million dollar cash bail. He was placed under 24-hour surveillance (which he paid for), fitted for an ankle monitor and was protected by armed guards stationed outside his apartment door, pending the outcome of his case. Approximately six weeks after Manhattan prosecutors indicted him all charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn were dropped.

Just me and my Dad

Just for Laughs

Carl Shechter is my father. Current second term Commissioner of District 1 in Pembroke Pines Florida. He is available to his constituents anytime, and he will ask them “what do you need, what do you want.”

Thanks Dad.

Just waiting on the stairs

Photographs of Jill as a teenager: Julio Mitchel

Photograph of Blarney Castle: Helen Bucknall

Please contact me if you would like to submit a piece in 500 words or less describing how you either embrace or shy away from candor.