MY FATHER’S LEGACY, WHO FULLFLLED IT (EDITED 2/26/2013)?

My father believed in traditions and while I have written about my Mother’s influence in [A TRIBUTE TO MY LATE MOTHER -  (EDITED 2/25/2013], I have not said a great deal about my Dad, whose family situation is complicated (to be explained later), but he did not allow those circumstances to define him. What defined this determined individual, who was tough when required, had a sense for business and was from an era that knew how to keep a promise to someone special. My Dad for whom I was named, was born in 1910 into a divided family of sorts, because his father George, (with his French sounding name) ended up in Barbados via Scotland [and does NOT include any other heritage consistent with the description in the post THE OUTSPOKEN PEN PAL WHO BECAME A FRIEND (EDITED W/INSERTS - UPDATED)! and the limitations documented in HOW TO VIOLATE FERPA AND STILL COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF THE LAW (EDITED 2/26/2013)]; and even though he was not of the Mormon faith (to the best of my understanding), had separate families (that is the politically correct terminology) in describing his lifestyle, to whom my Father referred to as “Paie” (probably a colloquialism for Pappy) George. The divided half of my Father’s family was shared with an older brother, Dan (who could pass for my Dad’s identical twin with their unusually colored eyes (greenish gray) and in my Father’s case dimples, (which I share with him), was nicknamed Scotty (after their Father’s experiences, no doubt), but as different as night and day. His older brother had a weakness for drinking and would frequently be found in an intoxicated state and without any real orientation in life. He would later succumb to the alcohol he allowed to consume his life. Finally, there was their younger sister, familiarly called Aunt Thor.
James, senior did not name his older son after him but chose to name me after him instead (a fact exploited by those “Society’s” Moguls etc.). My only conclusion drawn about this decision by my Father lay in the sequence of events that occurred almost immediately after my birth; namely, my survival from an almost near fatal illness (previously reported), when just weeks old and prior to the selection of and/or the conference of the name for me, that reminded him of his experiences (in overcoming difficulties) and led him to make the decision he did. Therefore, my middle name Francis was used when growing up instead of junior since the naming of me in this manner was not done in the traditional fashion. My Dad was not himself religious but on returning to the Island to keep the promise he had made to a very special lady, my Mother, he selected an older structure (confirmed during a remodeling effort when a coin dating from 1600's was found in the walls near the rafters), located next door to the centuries old Speightstown, St. Peter Methodist Church, built in 1859. Maybe he was hoping that the location would be ideal for the raising of a family (due to influence from my Mother) or maybe he saw the wisdom of placing a family styled grocery store next door to a house of worship. But whatever his reasoning, the business location turned out to be successful and in later years wanted to expand (discussed previously).
My Dad believed in his type of traditions as the naming of one of his two sons after him though not in the traditional fashion, because he did not shy way from going the extra mile in favor of a worthy enterprise, cause (person) etc., if he saw something (or someone) worthwhile. He was of the traditional thinking that if he helped his oldest offspring, that individual would in turn help the others, that is why in 1967 immediately upon graduating from the then girls only Alexandra Secondary School, he made arrangements for my Sister to attend business school in New York, (to make an opportunity for her that was not available to him). My Dad was not above having a back-up plan in case his line of thought did not materialize and spent time grooming me in the ways of the business such as accompanying him on trips to complete orders with his suppliers.
My Sister lacked for nothing when on her studies, for whatever she needed He made sure that it was provided; all she had to do was ask. She would complete her yearlong course of business studies and the following year returned home. Needless to say, he was a bit disappointed (even though he never said it openly) as he was hoping that with the chance she was given it would be utilized to stay (in the US) if any opportunity developed, as he did before returning. However, this did not prevent him from leaving the Chapel Street family residence to Her over the objections of my Mother who (from her instincts) felt that my Sister was not the individual to whom the property should be left and that the decision was unwise and she let disagreement be known in her own way.
The final words my father ever spoke to his three surviving offspring together was in 1971 when on the morning of the day of his passing before leaving for work, he called us together and said to us “do not live as your Mother’s siblings do”, (alluding to the frequent male rivalries that took place among the male dominated siblings of my Mother’s, who were frequently found in the mist of trying to “top” each other in their serious adult years). Eventually, my Brother would return to school as a full-time student at the Cave Hill campus of the UWI to study natural science. Finally, after years of working and saving for approximately six (6) plus years from (the equivalent of the fall in) 1971 through February 1978 for the Government of Barbados, I decided to pursue my engineering studies in the USA. It was my intent to return as my study leave, which was kept open until May 1983 demonstrates (see comment # 1 from 11/19/2012 on the COMMENTS Page). However, I am still here after arriving on March 2, 1978 on flight #666, thirty-four (34) years and approximately eight (8) plus months ago. My father’s legacy includes is a promise made is a promise kept even in overcoming difficulties. In concluding this description, the question is being posed, which of the three of my Father’s surviving offspring really fulfilled “his traditional legacy”, whether what he thought was the typical way or the chance he saw from a unusual birth sequence of events, that led him to an unusual naming order (or renaming as the case maybe) and includes a promise made?