Mom & Dad in Alaska - Harold & Joan Vayo
‘Handyman Hal’

‘Handyman Hal’

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A few weeks before Dad‘s 60th birthday, Mom wrote this playful poem about her handy husband:

Handyman Hal

If you need a window lowered at night
Or somebody strong to switch on the light
Or the tablecloth straightened from left to right
Call Handyman Hal!

If you reach him the key he will open your door
Give him a jug he’ll be happy to pour
All of these projects and many things more
Handyman Hal.

If you want Christmas presents placed under the tree
A wise man to tell a bean from a pea
Or pass on a hammer from you to me
Hire Handyman Hal.

Baskets are empty napkins are neat
Here sits the stool for somebody’s feet
All of this wonder is due to old sweet
Handyman Hal.

So bless him and praise him
Be sure that you pays him
For History will glaze him
Good Handyman Hal!

~ joan vayo May 5, 1990

'Handyman Hal' with Mom in 2003 Harold & Joan Vayo
My parents’ version of American Gothic. I think this photo may be from their 2003 trip to Alaska and Canada.

Never were Dad’s talents as a handyman put to the test more than on Christmas Eve 1961.

Our parents went to town that year and bought us each a child-size play area. A puppet theater for Harry, a rocket ship for Dave, and a kitchen for me. Words cannot express how much I loved that kitchen.

Thing is, all those kits had to be assembled. And once they were put together, there wasn’t room in the house to hide them before Christmas.

So Handyman Hal stayed up nearly all night, serving as Santa’s #1 Elf:

I believe Harry is holding Al the Alligator, a very popular stuffed animal “friend” who appeared with my oldest brother in many Christmas photos that year.
Dave (with his Lamb Chops puppet) got this great space capsule – with a door, so you could go inside. I, as the little sister, wasn’t allowed in … but I hereby confess that I sneaked in once while I was alone in the playroom. It was worth my nearly having a heart attack and suffering days of Catholic guilt – so cool!
Oh, boy – did I love this kitchen! There was a little pump for water in the sink, and the stovetop coils would light up when I turned them on. Notice the phone was in reach in case we would need to opt for take-out. I’ve got a puppet on my three-year-old hand … that’s Hush Puppy from The Shari Lewis Show.

All those kits were from Sears, and made out of cardboard.

Oh, excuse me … fiberboard:

Whatever they were made out of, they were assembled with love by our own Handyman Hal.

Handyman Hal ©1990 Joan C. Vayo. All rights reserved.

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