Franklin Dillard and Franklin Dillard II

00:01 Hello, my name is Franklin. Lee Dillard. I was born in 1950 to today's date is Wednesday, October 27th, 2021. We're located in Columbus, Georgia.

00:18 The interviewer today is my son.

00:34 So, my name is Franklin, Lee Dillard, the S on 38th. Today is Wednesday, October 27th, 2021. We're here in Columbus, Georgia, the Columbus Public Library, and I'm here with my dad and Franklin senior, and I'm excited to be able to talk to him through storycorps. I've been listening to storycorps for years and last time they were in town. My mom was still alive, and I didn't schedule an interview since then, she's passed away. And fortunately, they were able to come back in town and I was able to set up an interview to interview. My dad's dad. I've got some questions for you.

01:19 I know we've asked some questions before and

01:23 Things. I didn't know that we talked about what stories and then I asked questions and I still learn things about you today. Even though I'm 38, some of the story of sound like a broken record over and over, but the one the other day about your nickname, I never knew you'd even been to Miami before. We went much less that you had a a name of monkey because you signed up in the mango trees. So the first question I want to start off with his, who has been the biggest influence on your life. And what lessons did that person or the people teaching?

01:59 Well, I guess the person that's been the most influential over my, the majority of my life was my dad home, with a loose Dillard. Grew up on the farm worked as a logger started driving the logging truck before he is feet. Could reach the pedals.

02:21 Hard working, man.

02:24 Love this family. Loved this country. Love this church. And all the moral values that I learned mainly came from him and my mom. She was a very good lady rose raised two children and did a great job.

02:48 Both of them.

02:52 We're born before the depression, grew up through the depression. A lot of those values are passed on Thrift in this, making the most of what you have.

03:05 And my dad was well respected in his community because of his.

03:14 Personality the fact that he was willing to help people, no matter who it was what they needed. He was rule mail carrier. He carried mail out in the country, people depended on him back. Then those people brought the news to you, brought your mail and people loved him, and what he did.

03:36 And I'm not sure if you know, but I've never heard his voice before and doing an interview like this is one of the reasons I want a catalog this because and I've heard stories about him. But as you know, he passed away before. I was born, I've seen some pictures, but I don't know if you had a high pitch voice or a low pitch voice or, you know, if he was quick spoken or slow spoken. I have no clue. I, all I know are these pictures. So thank you again for doing the interview today from you. Throw it in the side there if you don't mind sir. Yes, you're right. That was before the days of widespread video in a VHS.

04:19 Those things that you could record people, we have photographs.

04:25 But you're right. He passed away in 1981. You were born in 1983. The thing that I did on your first birthday was going to Atlanta, bought a video recording.

04:41 Machine I can fight VHS with lot of people don't know what vhss is, but it was a recording media that time and it was separate. The VHS recorder was separate from the camera. If I remember, it was in the camera. Look like these at production Crews TV production, Crews carry around. But I wanted to

05:05 Make sure that your life for the documented.

05:10 And those videos are on VHS and now with Audrey, my daughter, as you know, I'm starting to put some of her videos on YouTube from a very young age. She can watch those and sometimes she just likes watching her Channel and seeing her videos and one of the first ones was talking about the tooth fairy and how excited she was about her tooth wiggling in last week. Her tooth finally came out. So so from your, your dad, what were the biggest life lessons or pieces of advice that he gave you that, you still remember today?

05:51 I guess some of them or just hard work.

05:56 4 card.

05:59 Ghosty, grew up on the farm. We had a farm. I grew up in town, but we had the farm to take care of cows in farming in and do you learn that you get the job done? No matter how long it takes, no matter if, it's pouring rain or cold, you just get it done, He was always a very

06:27 Charitable, man. I was both his time and his money to help people.

06:35 Panda.

06:37 Zodiac's, that that's definitely the thing, the character of depend on yourself.

06:45 Help others if you're able to.

06:48 And,

06:51 If you made a commitment to somebody, you keep it, people believed in the handshake was a man's word and its contract. And then getting mad at me. They would do something. You could believe he would do it. You mention that part about people like him cuz of his personality is always willing to help. And that's one thing. I've always thought about you is, you know, all the time. You're always willing to help with a nice me or other people. I like to believe that I'm like that and hopefully, I'll pass that along to Audrey at the Minnesota. A good characteristic to the carry-on good trait passed on. So, if there was one life lesson or piece of advice, you wish I knew, remember, what would it be?

07:40 It could be what you just mentioned if that's it, or if there's something else that, you know, maybe you've told me before but you want to make sure that I could remember one piece of advice, you give me.

07:53 Take care of your family.

07:56 Your family is always going to be there for you.

08:00 Through thick or thin.

08:03 They will be there to take care of them. Help other people if you're able to, that need your help.

08:12 Yes, sir. So for future Generations, save all you're going to be able to tell some of the Bison stories to her. But let's say you were speaking to her children, are your great-grandchildren our great-great-grandchildren? What do you think something you would want to tell them a piece of advice or something?

08:38 Sort of the same thing.

08:41 And other people that are closest to you be loyal to them, help them when they need your help depend on them when you need their help.

08:52 And if you're able to help people outside of your family Circle.

08:59 Help in any way you can.

09:02 And because I believe, at some point, we're all going to need help from somebody and we get it back at some point. We're all in this together. I do believe that. So, this question might sound similar, but don't want to drill and specifically, for what advice do you have for me being a father? Now, now that I have a daughter, there's the, the general advice but being a father and having a child because today is I was riding that was thinking about that. Very thing. When you become a parent.

09:41 A lot of changes.

09:43 People don't realize it until their parents.

09:47 You're responsible, then for another life and transferring that knowledge and

09:56 Information that you got to the Next Generation because without that, it doesn't get transferred. It doesn't move forward.

10:08 Ryan Audrey and if there are others

10:16 Train them to respect people to respect themselves.

10:23 Be willing to stand up for themselves when they feel that they deserve it.

10:30 Be willing to stand up for others.

10:33 When you realize, maybe they aren't able to.

10:38 One thing I thought about with Audrey has I do want him part all the wisdom that I have, but I can't teach her the recipe, I can teach her have a problem solve. I want her to think where she can solve problems and adapt and have all the tools and her mind to be able to handle anything that comes to her, Like I think about when mom passed away and one of the things that sticks with me about the piece of advice and maybe it wasn't a great piece of advice. But, the way she live life was that things are going to happen, but you can't let him hold you back. If you let them hold you back. You're just going to meet you can't move forward to your in Chains. You just got to keep pushing through and push through that and then I never burn Bridges. And so, you know, when mom passed away,

11:35 And I want to pause, I want to dwell on it. And at the same time, I feel like if I do that, then I'm not living up to what she told me that she has horrible feels bad, but I've got to keep focused on what I can do today. I can't look back. So go to focus on Audrey and my wife, Alicia, and you and the family, cuz that's what I can take care of today, you know, your mom loves you and your sister and she's over her years ago. She was with, you was able to impart a lot of

12:11 A lot of the information skills abilities.

12:17 How to deal with life.

12:20 And,

12:23 You not take that and you pass it on you. Add what you think needs to be added and maybe delete some things just say, well that maybe didn't work in today's world.

12:37 And it's almost like cuz you said, how do we teach how do we show our children and grandchildren? And and for them to do this on down the road, even though now most people have GPS to be strong, like a map to pull out of map and you're headed to, California.

13:01 But I'm not going with you.

13:03 But I can sort of show you around. It will get you there.

13:08 Now, on the way, you may decide to take side trips. You may go look at a mountain or river or Valley.

13:18 But at some point, you're going to get to, California.

13:23 Based on what I've shown you on the map. And those instructions, we passed from generation to generation in every generation they get

13:34 Trains to be molded into what fits and works for this this time that were in

13:42 My great-great-great-grandparents blue giving different advice at the time, because the world was a good friend.

13:53 But if you got a general roadmap and you know, where to go and how to get there.

13:59 You make your own path and you'll end up there and that's all we can do. And I've tried to distill that down for Audrey to what a five year old. And I have this quote that I tell her and she can recite it. Not important that we fall down. It's important that we pick ourselves back up if we do. And all I have to say is if you fall down on, what's important that I take myself back up and she's always got to do that. I might have told you the story when he mentioned the GPS and a lot of times were dependent on technology today, but I used a GPS device. One time driving Alicia and two of her friends to the north Georgia to Braselton of her conference. They had and we decided to use a GPS cuz they feel most comfortable. You showed me how to use a map which will how to know which way was North.

14:52 And we get closer to Braselton and there's a a t and we have to make a right or a left. And the GPS is saying, turn right here, turn right here and all the people in the car were saying, alright GPS. I said, I don't think I don't feel. That's right. I feel it's that way. I know the math in my head and that's North. If I take a left, not right, and I said, no, the GPS settings. It says, take a right, take a right. So against my better judgment. I listen to the group even though I was driving the car, and I take the right in about a mile or two down the road and the North Georgia Mountains. I literally get to a small unincorporated Community called hell hole Georgia. The GPS literally sent me the hell hole and

15:42 I did a u-turn quite quickly cuz it started hearing Dueling Banjos through the trees, but it made me feel good. That what you would train me on to understand my, my surroundings, and how to use maps and know which way North was, that I was better than the technology and so I haven't used GPS is sense.

16:06 But that thing that I tell Audrey all the time, it's not important that we fall down. It's important that we pick ourselves back up when we do and just passed along to, or sometimes when we fall down. It hurts. You, scrape your knee, scrape your elbow, you bump your head. It hurts. No matter what it is. It is happening. It hurts still got to get up. You got to go through it and move on.

16:35 So, just a way to the next question. It's a two-part question. What were your favorite parts of being a dad? You're still not dead, but no while I was in the house and then what was your least? Favorite parts of being a dad?

16:54 Do the least favorite definitely comes to view. Dead was not good at doing one thing. And, you know, that because we've kidded about it and laughed about it over the years, changing diaper head could not change diapers. Yeah. I just couldn't have it. Your mom was great at it. She could handle it and then it is, so she never even felt it but Dad, just couldn't deal with it. So, yeah, those videos I've seen of dads are comedians showing how they change diapers, if that's me.

17:30 Another favorite thing there. A lot of things. I mean the memories are just flooding back into my mind right now.

17:38 Soccer games baseball games.

17:42 Camping gear for riding in the car sightseeing going on vacations.

17:50 And I do it every every year or something. Different age do children grow up. Is Audrey grows up with you. Every year that be something you you'll add and that it's just

18:04 It is a lifetime of great memories which segues nice. And to the next question, to pick one particular memory, maybe to what's your favorite memory of me?

18:29 Probably.

18:34 You.

18:36 Putting up a barbed wire fence.

18:39 Through the woods.

18:42 You never done it before.

18:45 I told you.

18:47 How to put in post.

18:50 And string and pull wire.

18:54 And I only hit show you a couple of friends and you took off and

18:59 I lift you for weeks and you work every day. You are able to go down and put up a really professional looking fence it. No paid contractor could have done any better. I love doing that during the cold weather. We we joked and I couldn't do it as a career cuz I don't want to be out there on the snakes with a field during the hot season in the South, but it was quiet and peaceful. There's no technology. There's no sounds. It was just methodical. Going in a one strand at a time, stretching it out and it was very relaxed. And I love going out there in that one and I'm afternoon. It was snow flurries in, which is kind of rare in the South if you know, but I love doing that and to be able to say that and I put up 3/4 of a mile worth of Bob wire, fence down through swamp and Fields. And like you said, you showed me that one piece and then

19:59 Extrapolate from there and solve the problems. And hopefully, I can pass that loan to Audrey. I think I am. Imagining you got that same mentality of being able to be shown once or twice by your dad. And hopefully, that's something that I can pass along. You know, that's, that's that you brought that up. My dad. I learned that from him.

20:22 And that's got passed to you and now you'll get passed on. And how many people today would know how to put up a barbed wire fence. Whenever someone in the family that we took about that, you know, they couldn't find themselves out of the brown paper bag. Sometimes even with a GPS, one of the smartest people in the family, but sometimes people just don't have that ability. And I feel fortunate in that regard, that that one project you did kept cows in that area for years and years. They never wrote through it. Skip donkeys in there. The only thing that's taking it down and play store to a big oak or pine trees that are falling across it.

21:07 But it gets repaired. And is still there? Yes or no ending and us are. And how long are you guys 2000?

21:16 12. I think somewhere in there. It was when I'm in the offseason for Lifetouch doing school photography. They would lay us off when there was no jobs from Thanksgiving to middle to end of January and having to go on unemployment, but that afforded me the time and opportunity to go down there and it was cold where I feel comfortable going down through the swamps and near the creek and not having to worry about snakes, climbing up my pant leg.

21:49 What were the hardest moments you had when I was growing up?

21:58 Not being there, sometimes, when I really need to be

22:03 Physically not being there working long hours weekends night. Sometimes not being there, not, not to been able to help you sometime two things.

22:19 But sometimes being able to help you with school projects and building foam pyramids and, derby car, Would there be, and you might think about that in your head, but from my perspective growing up, I was surprised. You could be with me all the time. If I never felt like you weren't there for the soccer games, and baseball games, and building time with derby, cars and things when things were needed and I kind of wonder about that with Audrey. Sometimes we both have to work and fortunately we were able to provide a good life for me and I think I'm able to provide a good life to Audrey and Eliza with our work one probable probable differences with Alicia working on Saturdays. Lot of times I get daddy daughter days.

23:13 But then, sometimes I try to get stuff and work on those days, and I try to involve her with it, but then I start thinking.

23:24 I know right now. She's excited and always wants to be around me but there's going to be a day where she's going to be embarrassed by me and doesn't want to and she's going to have her stuff and going to be tough, but

23:36 That's also I'm trying to prep myself. I'm a successful parent. If she does that. I'm not successful. If she doesn't, if she always stays in the nest then I'm not successful. So I'm trying to mentally prepare myself that like you said, sometimes things are going to hurt but you pick yourself back up and understand at least in my head, what I'm prepping myself for being away or something. And that is life is not perfect.

24:11 You cannot create the perfect life with your family, with your friend, with others.

24:18 We make mistakes. We learn from those hopefully.

24:24 You know, I just do the best you can with Audrey with the time you got.

24:31 You mentioned about soccer games, always tried to make you games.

24:36 Cuz I have fortunately had a job. I could leave some most of the time and come watch the games.

24:43 Maybe get you home, mom get you home. Dad is headed back into work work through the night.

24:52 Come home, sleep, an hour or two and go back and do it again.

24:57 But to me, it was always important to be there for those things if I could.

25:03 To share with you. Nothing, you believe me the memories of the work along Dawn.

25:11 But the memories are spent with you and Cassie.

25:15 Are always there?

25:17 I can agree to that so far with Audrey the trips, we've taken and experiences those memories that you can buy in a store and I love the fact that you're doing a daddy-daughter days. This great nothing. But you the two of you the focus is on each of you. Yes. Something else.

25:39 That's great. So what are your hopes for Audrey? My daughter growing up. As she grows up. She can have one or two hooks for her.

25:57 Pick 3 have a good successful life.

26:01 How would you define success? Success is not necessarily material things that she has friends.

26:10 Good long, lasting friends that she loves her family.

26:16 Even though she might move away and not see you for long periods of time.

26:22 Then when she comes home, she's happy.

26:25 And she's got those good memories. I carry your throat.

26:31 I would like her to have a.

26:34 A life. That was as fun as I had and I hope you had

26:41 I hope that you look back and have great memories of good friends. Sometimes and trips, and vacations, like, we tried to do answer, and I know you recently, took us all down to Jekyll Island.

26:57 That was great. And I think she'll have those memories. Just like I did growing up as a kid doing the Jekyll Island and your dad took you there. You took me there and I'm now taking her there and the other day I was talking with her and I asked her, I said what was the most fun? You had a jackal?

27:17 And Audrey says, she always just has a quick answer to say Popoff said riding the bike.

27:26 When you and I were up there riding the bike, that was fun.

27:30 I said you talked about when we were all full in the four-wheeler or the four seater bike and she said, yeah, that was fun. And for me that was one of the toughest parts that for Cedar four-person bike, even though it was flat there along the beach, that was a tough ride. You were peddling for four of us, you know, that two of us in the back with all the alarm for the ride. So but that's a good metaphor. You know, one of the toughest times for me as a father on that trip. Physically was one of her best memories and nothing that often times. But you said, no you being at the soccer games. I remember that. I don't remember you having that tough time having to go back into work that night and having little sleep.

28:19 When I was growing up, did you have any concerns for me? Like globally? Kind of Hino just as a father with a young son? I'm grown up. And do you still have those same concerns or maybe different ones for Audrey? Now?

28:37 Well.

28:40 I think you need a father. That has a son at some point.

28:45 We we realize, you may

28:48 Be in military service.

28:50 You may serve overseas, you may have to go into battle.

28:57 And that's always there.

29:00 And it can happen. Almost overnight. Is it David? September 11th?

29:06 Where the world changed in an instant.

29:13 But you know, you always worry about that.

29:20 But can I just wanted you to

29:23 Realize that life was important. It was worth living.

29:29 And even though we all go through rough times and tough times and life, sometimes tries its best and knocked us down and kick us out what we're down. That's why I always tell Audrey, it's not important that you fall down. It's important that you pick yourself back up cuz I think it's so affable. So if I talk to anyting is it, when life is, give you the tough breaks and you've been through a for you,

29:59 That you realize you keep going.

30:02 It's tough.

30:05 Don't give up got to focus on what we can do.

30:12 So, do you remember what was going through your head? When you found out? You were going to be a father?

30:19 Oh my goodness. What have I gotten myself into? There is no instruction manual. That is so true. Other than the one you've been given by your parents. Yes. Or people who are fortunate enough to have parents. And I know a lot of people

30:37 Have another single parent, surprise them, and I'm amazed at those people.

30:44 There are able to raise children.

30:47 And work and support a family.

30:52 With was one partner. I remember one of the scariest times for me as a father was leaving the hospital with Audrey, you know, for those few weeks that she was in the mecu. I felt for the nurses and the doctors there, and then they say, all right. She's got to go home and then it became real, where there are. No nurses. If something goes wrong, if I mess up and fortunately, she was pretty resilient and we left the hospital. I felt the very same thing. We walked in the does apartments with lived in Bridgewater Apartments by the airport and it's like

31:35 This this is real. This is it. Now. You got a person that completely pens on the two of us answer.

31:48 Segway and slightly. When you meet someone new. What is one thing? You wish they come away with thinking about you if they can only think about thing. One thing about you.

32:03 Enjoyed talking with you.

32:06 I was thinking helpful. You helped so many people imagined. So many peoples that he is such a helpful person. As you've gotten older, they might say he was good to talk to you cuz you do talk that they come away, feeling a little bit better than they did before we met. How would you like to be remembered?

32:32 Probably, is that.

32:34 He helped when he was able to.

32:39 That's that's what we're here for.

32:43 Help others get through. We got all get through it together, only one boat, but all passengers on the boat.

32:53 What are you proud of stuff?

32:58 That's an easy one.

33:01 You didn't your sister, but you said me first, you're the oldest. I know there's always been waiting. Who's the favorite child?

33:15 You know, that's another thing that when people have children, they realize that each one is different.

33:23 You live in love each one for what they are and who they are.

33:28 And their personality.

33:30 I wouldn't expect Cassie to be you and I wouldn't expect you to be Kathy. I love you both and I love what each of you has meant to me and brought to my life and mom's life and how much men tennis.

33:48 Can you tell me about a moment? When a person's kindness made a difference in your life? Was there a singular event where you look back and say man without that person without their kindness?

34:00 First thing that pops into my mind, another hundreds or thousands of situations where people have helped me.

34:11 But,

34:13 I was in college doing the Auburn University. I was having trouble with Calculus.

34:21 This could not get the concept of calculus at taking all the math courses in high school.

34:30 End.

34:34 Went by the school and there was with my math teacher, was still there when the afternoon, and I talked to him and told him and told him what I was struggling with, and he helped get me through that corner of calculus and I passed, that's all you need to know. I passed.

34:57 But you know, he didn't have to do it.

35:00 And this fellow.

35:05 Have another connection to somebody that a lot of people would know.

35:12 His sister was named Robin.

35:16 And she married a man named Jimmy, Carter. He was your Calculus teacher.

35:22 That's his brother-in-law. Very smooth. Jimmy. Carter's brother-in-law was your Calculus teacher?

35:29 Never told me that. That's awesome.

35:32 And, well, you know, Marion County and Buena Vista and planes were right beside each other. So we need the Carters. They ran warehouses. Peanut warehouses.

35:44 Jimmy was always involved in politics, but the Murray sister is Roslyn.

35:51 That's fantastic. I think that might be a good place to eat in the interview that I have a Jimmy Carter's brother in law. As your Calculus teacher is the kind of person that popped into your memory. Thank you for coming down and being able to do the interview. And we're doing this one with storycorps, and hopefully, I can continue doing the videos with you and Audrey and other people, because in a storycorps and inspires me, I love what they do. I love being able to look back and hear the memories and I listen to them on the radio. I can make those people, but I don't know them, but to be able to video you and Audrey and look back and see those videos unfortunate for the technology that we have today. And

36:43 You know, I don't use my phone arts degree as much as my finance degree, but would that I can set up the lighting and know how to compose it and hopefully craft it. Well, and I have to say video editing is exponentially more difficult than photography that I did for years. But as our school told me, we start off with a blank canvas, and you start off with rough brush strokes and you've refine it or fine. It is not perfect at first like life but through

37:18 The methodical process, you continually refined to make it better.

37:24 I've enjoyed this. I love these discussions because it brings back so many memories from me. It makes us think about the things are important in our life.

37:36 And did you say thank you to storycorps for making this program possible, but more importantly I want to thank our facilitator. Eunice.

37:47 Who gave us instructions work with us, appreciate her time and and what she's been able to do for us. Individually to record our history. A little bit of what what we've enjoyed over the years. I figure without her. I would have stumbled and had a lot more us and them in there.

38:10 So, thank you. Thank you.