Dad built himself a beautiful house.

Dad said he built it for us.
He left his life insurance to his wife. That was the right thing to do.
Dad burned us, though.
-Dad burned Sonny on the house that was paid off with an accident settlement.
The money should have been put in a trust, but instead, it paid off the shack we grew up in (with 5 acres of land).
He got Sonny to Quit Claim to him after Sonny turned 21. 
In effect, he used the money from Sonny's accident settlement to build the house above. 
Sonny felt he didn't deserve the house, may be, may be not, but it was rightfull his.
Dad took advantage of Sonny's feelings on this. He didn't even put Sonny's name on the new house as a coowner.
-Dad burned Linda with her newborn baby by kicking her out.
-Dad burned me by lying to me, threatening to sue me during the worst time in my life and talking behind my back.
I went on to ignore him for years.
Then he borrowed on it to build himself a ice cream shop in a failing mall.
When he lost his house and ice cream shop:
-He went on to live in his wife's son house.
-He went on to talk about his will which he never filed.
-He went on to talk about his big life insurance policy for Sonny, which he fumbled.
I realize none of the above sounds good...but good did come out of Dad
Dad gave me a goal. He was my mentor is a non-traditional way.
As a kid, I swore I would never pick up his bad traits.
I'm the only one to finish college, work my way up to having my own corporation.
I've had two houses for over 21 years.
I didn't get my inspiration from Dad. I got it from my Step-Dad who was a great guy.
My Step Dad and my Mom were my best friends in this life.
Dad was ripped off in life, I suppose.
He never quite made anything of himself.
I hope he gets a chance to do-it-all-over. Its possible, I suppose.