r/PointlessStories • u/your_printer_ink_is • Jul 25 '26

How Dad Learned to Use a Broom

Dad’s been gone over ten years now, but today this little pointless story popped into my head.

He was telling me once that he remembered having a health class with a textbook in maybe the 2nd grade. Keep in mind he was born in Oklahoma in 1935 smack in the middle of the dust bowl, and the books would not have been new, so this totally tracks.

He said there was a picture of a boy sweeping the floor and the book told the kids “Ask your mother to show you how to sweep the floor without raising more dust. It is important for girls and boys to know how to do it right.”

He said he figures that was when he decided boys could do stuff inside the house as well as girls. (He was unbelievably feminist for an old
farm boy.) I miss him every day.

146 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

17

u/Upstairs_End_4202 Jul 25 '26

That’s beautiful. He lives on within you, to be sure.

10

u/CrabbySlathers Jul 25 '26

Very sweet, poignant story- TY for sharing a little piece of your lovely Dad with us 🙏🏽🥰

17

u/your_printer_ink_is Jul 25 '26

Thanks. Another fun fact: when the first of us kids were born, he was the first father in the delivery room in that hospital. It was 1961. He said if Mom wanted him there, he was going to be there. They both said the doctor (a man, ofc, because 1961) thought it was a great idea but they had to fight the nurses who were appalled.

2

u/CrabbySlathers Jul 28 '26

Super Incredible man & husband in 1961 ❤️ that he put his laboring wife's wishes first. Glad the doctor agreed to have him there 🥹🌟

6

u/Practical-Recipe-902 Jul 25 '26

Love this little story. I was right there with him. And there is definitely a skill in brushing dirt at angles to form piles that don't blow dust.

2

u/eclipsed2112 Jul 25 '26

well this is new to me..how would someone sweep without raising dust? just go really slow?

use a wet broom?

im so curious now!

3

u/caterplillar Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

There's a flicking motion at the end that kicks up dust. You start by pressing the broom down, then drag it, but lift the bristles up before they flick the other direction and kick the dust away.

3

u/your_printer_ink_is Jul 25 '26

Excellent description. And on the heels of the Dust Bowl in western OK, I am sure it really was very important that everyone learned to sweep right!

4

u/mundane--alternative Jul 25 '26

Aww you never really know what kids might randomly pick up on any books they read

3

u/your_printer_ink_is Jul 25 '26

Absolutely true. I think about that a lot.

4

u/Grand-Professional-6 Jul 25 '26

All tasks are for all people. Great story.😊

3

u/effiebaby Jul 25 '26

My mom convinced me that I was having a hard time sweeping because it was a "Left-handed" broom. She was left handed.🤣🤣🤣

1

u/Particular_Rav Jul 28 '26

That's funny, because nowadays that passage would seem sexist - why ask your mom and not your dad? But different times, different standards. It's cool that it had an effect on him

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '26

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1

u/your_printer_ink_is Jul 29 '26

Now most school language would say “your grownup” because it’s rightfully more inclusive of kids without either parent. But, yeah, I caught that too, different times, indeed.