My dad while being fantastic...
...keeps a lot of things to himself. I suppose this is due to his past which has basically involved him witnessing and taking part in a lot of horrible things from being in the RAF, the Police Force, the TFU, Body guarding and working in the MOD. I know little scraps of information but I’m sure most of what he did in the RAF and TFU will be taken to his grave.

Anyway the point I am trying to get to (slowly) is that he is one guarded individual and because of this very rarely dishes out compliments, which is why last week when my company started making redundancies I was very surprised to hear him speak up.

I had been given the bad news at work and immediately started to panic, along with everyone else in the company. I frantically called my parents to let them know the situation and generally rambled on at my mum that I was worried about being given the heave-ho. After speaking to me my mum wandered off and told my dad what was going on and he very kindly said if I needed any financial help I could ask them (Bank of Dad and all that).

Over the next few days people at work were being made redundant and I panicked more, convinced I was going, then I got a call from my dad and was reduced to tears. He told me that he was sure I would keep my job, he said it would be stupid for anyone to let me go as I’m such a hard-worker and clever and talented (bear in mind these are his words not mine – haha). It was just so out of the blue and nice to know that someone has such confidence in my abilities. The conversation lasted all of about 5 minutes and then, like it had never happened, he started talking about his bike and the Moto GP. Regardless of how short the conversation was, I really do treasure moments like that as it just confirms for me what I suspect, for all the annoyance I have caused my parents over the years, they really do care a lot about me.

So there we go, I love my parents very much and just hope that I can live up to my dads expectations. If I turn out to be even half as wonderful as my parents I will be a very happy bunny indeed.

By the by, I haven’t been made redundant and have been told that I’m very good at my job, so that’s nice!
(Flim-Flam the Magnificent "You is talking loco and I like it!", Fri 1 May 2009, 13:59, 2 replies)

Erm...
TFU?
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Fri 1 May 2009, 15:12, closed)

Ah sorry...
...Tactical Firearms Unit.

They get called out if anyone is suspected of carrying a firearm or if anyone gets a bit too close to somewhere they shouldn't be e.g. John Majors house in Huntingdon, if your car broke down anywhere near his house, these guys will appear at your car window, armed to the teeth to find out what you're up to.

These guys are trained to wait for a bullet to fly past them before firing back, scary stuff.
(Flim-Flam the Magnificent "You is talking loco and I like it!", Fri 1 May 2009, 15:17, closed)