As I was growing up, my Dad and I lived in a small town about 4 hours out of Melbourne along the main highway to Sydney. My Dad owned and ran a diner and truck stop (we lived out the back in a small house as there was only the both of us).
My mother died when I was 2 so I never got to know her and grew up alone with my Dad. I was born here in Australia but my Mum and Dad came from Greece way back in the 1940's. Both worked and lived at the diner when I was born - but from the age of 2 it was just me and my Dad.
When I was around 14, my Dad got me to help out during the summer holidays over the Christmas period. I remember I was given general duties (most of the cleaning and running errands for him and some of the local Truckers).
At that stage my Dad was a very quiet man. He was firm and quite strict but he was also very quiet. Some of the guys that would come into the diner were always mouthing off, loud, crass and general really loud. Not my Dad - he was very quiet and spoke very few words.
Even though he was a man of few words - he wasn't the type of man that you would consider shy or someone that lacked confidence. As I was growing up I remember thinking he was a giant - 6'3, black hair, thick arms and legs covered with dark hair and a strong chest (also covered in hair). I wouldn't say he was fat but quite solid. Now that I'm 31 I can see where I get my features from but when I was 14 I still had some way to go (although I was quite well developed for my age).
My mother died when I was 2 so I never got to know her and grew up alone with my Dad. I was born here in Australia but my Mum and Dad came from Greece way back in the 1940's. Both worked and lived at the diner when I was born - but from the age of 2 it was just me and my Dad.
When I was around 14, my Dad got me to help out during the summer holidays over the Christmas period. I remember I was given general duties (most of the cleaning and running errands for him and some of the local Truckers).
At that stage my Dad was a very quiet man. He was firm and quite strict but he was also very quiet. Some of the guys that would come into the diner were always mouthing off, loud, crass and general really loud. Not my Dad - he was very quiet and spoke very few words.
Even though he was a man of few words - he wasn't the type of man that you would consider shy or someone that lacked confidence. As I was growing up I remember thinking he was a giant - 6'3, black hair, thick arms and legs covered with dark hair and a strong chest (also covered in hair). I wouldn't say he was fat but quite solid. Now that I'm 31 I can see where I get my features from but when I was 14 I still had some way to go (although I was quite well developed for my age).