Wise Company

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a striking, yet completely unexpected similarity between Rob Ford and Lance Armstrong?

To paraphrase Rob Ford yesterday, “How can I comment on something I haven’t seen or doesn’t exist? How many more times do I have to say this?”

Compare to Lance Armstrong in November 2005: "How many times do I have to say it? … Well, it can't be any clearer than 'I've never taken drugs.'"

To be fair, I wasn’t at the same places Rob Ford was, so realistically I can’t say one way or the other. But on this Father’s Day weekend it got me t’ thinkin’ about my dear ol’ Dad. He passed away 22 years ago, but I still remember one lesson he tried to instill in me. And for the most part it stuck. Phrasing wasn’t his strong point, but he got his message across regarding me and my relationship with my friend Brian. Be careful concerning the people you hang around with. People judge you for the friends you keep.

I knew Brian better than he did, but looking back I can see what alarmed him. Brian came from a split family, first living wild with his father in Ontario, then moving in with his Mom and her new husband on the West Coast, having been kicked out from TO. He smoked 2 packs a day by high school, had done every substance I knew about at that time likely twice already, and it was a wonder to me (at least by the stories he’d tell me) that he wasn’t already paying multiple child support. My Dad didn’t want me to associate with him.

So, Rob Ford. Regardless of circumstances leading up to this present crisis, wouldn’t things be a whole lot better now if you hadn’t had your photo taken with your arms around convicted felons/ drug dealers? Didn’t your parents instill in you anything about the company with which you keep? Especially now in the days of instant photo uploads to social media!

This morning on CBC radio a question was posed regarding “Describe a time when your Father saved you”. A fellow phoned in and described the day in his youth that his Father had told him he didn’t think he should see one of his friends anymore. This after Dad had driven past the high school unannounced one afternoon and probably saw the friend doling out cigarettes. The caller wasn’t sure if Dad saw the cigarettes, but is relieved now, years later, that he took Dad’s advice and severed the friendship. His buddy went on to fail Grade 9 multiple times. It was downhill from there.

Conversely, as far as I’ve been told, Brian turned out OK. I lost touch with him many years ago (although it wasn't back in high school at Dad's urging).

But the adage holds true; choose your company wisely. Make Dad proud.