FATHER ’ S DAY
Being responsible is second nature for first-time father Larry Gill
Story by Ida Brown , MH & S editor Photos by Terrell Clark
At the end of a long day at the office , Marion Mayor Larry Gill looks forward to checking off the last entry on his “ To-Do ” list : Play with Legend .
“ I deal with a lot of different things all day at work . When I get home and I ’ m able to chill out and play with Legend and do whatever he wants to do , it is so rewarding ,” Gill said about his 14-month old son . “ Those times I have to set for him , I look forward to doing . I wake up with a list of things to do and Legend is on that list .”
Gill said he didn ’ t take his wife Rose seriously when she informed him they were about to become parents .
“ I thought she was kidding and said , ‘ No , you ’ re not ,’” he said . “ She said , ‘ I am ,’ and I was like , ‘ Well , whew !’”
Gill said he remained in a state of shock during the early months of the pregnancy . That changed when he noticed a change in his wife ’ s body .
“ When I saw her stomach starting to grow , I thought , ‘ Oh , this is for real ; there ’ s a baby in there ,’” he said , laughing at the memory . “ As it became more real , I became more excited and happy I was about to become a father .” And … a little worried . “ I worried about what ’ s next ,” Gill said . “ The person who raised me , my grandmother , had passed . Rose ’ s mother and father had passed . So we knew going in that we were going to have to figure it ( parenting ) out on our own .”
And that meant accepting that as parent they will make mistakes along the way .
“ I told Rose that unlike when I decided to do my book of business , there ’ s no playbook ,” he said . “ It ’ s not like a game ,
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