childhood basics

My father taught me how to ride a bike, how to throw a football, and how to tie a noose.

When I was 11, I found a piece of rope, and just for fun, I was trying to tie a noose. My father walked by and did a double-take.

He asked me, "What are you doing?"

I said, "I'm making a noose."

He said, "Well that's a real crappy noose. Give it here. I'll show you how it's done."

I got a step by step noose-tying tutorial. When he was done, he handed it back to me, and said, "Now that is a quality noose."

He smiled at the noose, and then walked away, possibly the happiest man in the world.