Father's New Land

My father grew up in Germany. He did OK in school, but in order to be accepted to college, there was a single test he had to pass. He was so nervous about the test that when it came time to take it, he blanked and did terribly. That was it. He had no chance to further his education. His aunt had married a Jewish man in the 1930s and Germany was not friendly to Jews at that time (to say the least). This aunt and uncle (Ilsa and Hans) moved to California. Hans liked to tinker with things in his garage. He invented something which he called The Shopsmith which was a kind of all-in-one woodworking device from which one could make their own furniture. Around this time, American soldiers were coming home from the war and with idle hands were eager to build things using The Shopsmith. My father's aunt and uncle became millionaires. Meanwhile, in Germany, times were tough. There was little food and infrastructure. By the late 1950s, things were improving, but not for my father who had flunked his final exam. His prospects in Germany were not good. He was invited by his wealthy aunt and uncle to come and stay with them. Uncle Hans told him that there were community colleges that welcomed everyone. My father packed his bags and left for the sunshine state. The first class he enrolled in was 'English for Foreigners.' He had a great time meeting new people and learning the language. Soon he was able to pursue his passion of studying Electrical Engineering. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley, he went on to get a Master's degree in Computer Science. This was back when computers were so big they took up a whole room. He then worked in the burgeoning computer industry and raised a family just outside of Silicon Valley. My father's English is excellent today though he still has a slight accent. When he leaves me a voicemail he says, "Zis is your fazzer." I have to smile - like I wouldn't know that it's him?