I’m Gonna Be Somebody
My grandfather was born to Mildred and William Davidson in 1933. His beginning years were formative, as the family were caretakers for other farmers’ lands. They eventually settled in Maryland. Tuck, as he was known, grew to be a man with a young family of his own and quickly set out to make his mark on the world.
Working as a grader operator for George & Lynch, he soon decided he would open a garage offering mechanical repairs, changing tires, towing vehicles that had been involved in accidents and selling gas. Soon after my aunt was born he and my grandmother needed money to pay for her hospital bill that was $100, which was quite a bit for a young couple of their time. He found an abandoned trailer alongside of the roadway. Not uncommon of the era, he placed an advertisement in the local newspaper, but no one came forward to claim it so he fixed it and sold it to pay for the hospital expenses.
The couple saved and worked hard, so he could break into the excavating business. My grandmother actually bought his very first dump truck by working at the local snack bar. A great story that I never tire of hearing goes like this - A heavy piece of machinery had gotten stuck by a contractor who was doing work at the Benedictine School. Several more contractors had tried and failed to get the equipment out of the hole. A day or two later, he was contacted about the project. He stayed up most of the night on the phone with his note pad and a stubby pencil in hand to set his plan into motion. People doubted he could accomplish the task, but I do not think for a second he doubted himself. Within a few minutes, he successfully pulled the equipment out of the mud it had been buried in for days. Our family is fortunate enough to even have this moment captured on video by my grandmother.
Tuck passed away in the winter of 2005. He has been gone for over 15 years now, but his name is still iconic in this area. Most people remember him as a true businessman, tough as nails and larger than life. He was all of those things and so much more. I believe he worked so hard throughout his 71 years of life because he wanted to leave a lasting impression on this world and set a positive example for the ones he would leave behind. Although his beginnings were humble, he was a man of great achievement. He was not ‘somebody’ because of the business deals he made or the risks that he took. He was ‘somebody’ because of the impact he had on others, particularly his family. He was a man of determination, grit, resilience and the ability to rise to any challenge. These values and attributes have guided me in forging my own path as a business owner and farmer.
Is there someone in your family who made an impact on your life? Tell them what they mean to you. If you can’t find the words in person, write them a letter or send an email to share how you feel.
