In chronicling his journey to reconciliation with his father, Melvin feels bad about someone he overlooked.
The most powerful character in Craig Melvin’s new book, “POPS: Learning To Be a Son and a Father," is, surprisingly, not the namesake of the book, Craig's dad Lawrence Melvin.
Craig gave both his parents an early draft of the book to get feedback and make sure it was factually accurate. Dad Lawrence had “no notes,” Craig said. “He was pleasantly surprised that I remembered so much.”Courtesy Craig Melvin “It was a little difficult because I know how much she sacrificed for us, for our family,” Melvin said, choking up during a phone conversation. “And here I go writing a tribute book to my father celebrating his three or four good years. And the reality is she has given me 40-plus great years. And I struggle with that.
A young Craig Melvin on his dad's 1973 Pontiac LeMans. Tinkering with the car was one of the few ways Melvin bonded with his dad, Lawrence.In scene after scene throughout “POPS,” Craig chronicles situations where Betty Jo would have to pick up the slack because Lawrence was either intoxicated or gambling or just absent. When Lawrence squandered tens of thousands of dollars on video poker, and the bills weren’t getting paid, Betty Jo got a second job to make ends meet.
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