text:  I was fortunate that in the early years, I had my dad for the short time that I did, but the influence that he left on me about fixing cars, and there isn't a day that goes by that I somehow, either I'm pulling a wrench out of my toolbox at the shop that is from the 40s, from his time working lead mechanic, American Airlines, or just thinking about some of the advice he gave me when I was a little kid that still applies to this day.