Do you remember the song Daddy's Hands? Maybe a little too country for some. :-) I studied my daddy's hands a lot, so the song was very dear to me. I remember watching his nervous tendencies being displayed in his hands.
As a meat cutter he had a lot of scarring too. I remember one knuckle protruding more than the others on one of his index fingers -- he cut it pretty badly and so the finger remained more bent than his others. He said he put the flesh and bone on a towel to place on the dashboard while he drove to the doc. His pinkie, I believe on his left hand, was paralyzed from cutting it almost all the way off. It just made his tea party pose more authentic. :-) He played guitar and if he neglected playing for any length of time, I remember him rebuilding the calluses before it was enjoyable again.
He shared one arm hugs with just about everyone. He joked with one hand out "Do you have $10 I can borrow?" He tapped the farthest shoulder from him to tease someone and to leave them wondering who did it. He would point his finger at your cheek when you weren't looking so when he called your attention, you turned your face into his finger. He was so silly...
"...Daddy's hands were soft and kind
when I was cryin'
Daddy's hands, were hard as steel
when I'd done wrong
Daddy's hands, weren't always gentle
But I've come to understand
There was always love
In Daddy's hands."
