"But he loves me," I rationalized. "He would be with me if he could; he just can't." With that thinking process going on in my little head, I came up with a plan that just might work for him. He was forbidden, for some unknown reason, to be with his beloved daughter, so he would do the next best thing. He would watch her from a'near. That's it! Brilliant plan! If you can't be with the one you love, stalk them. Wait a minute! That doesn't sound right. Let's try that plan again. If you can't be with the one you love, admire them from a distance of close proximity. But don't get caught because your intentions might be misunderstood and you might go to jail. Stalking is illegal, ya know.
The entire time I was growing up, my dad watched me from a'near. At least, that's what I wanted to believe. And since he was out there somewhere--behind a tree or peeking in a window--I had to be the best at whatever I was doing. He couldn't be there, but he could be proud.
In the ninth grade, our school installed a rope that hung 30' from the gymnasium ceiling. The challenge was put out to all students--boys and girls. "Who will be the first boy, the first girl to climb the rope all the way to the ceiling?"
Guess who was the first girl? Why don't you ask my father? He was there, peeking in the window. What? You can't ask him because he's been arrested for being a "peeping Tom." Oh, my. I feel bad about that, but I didn't know the man, so I guess I don't feel that bad.
Guess who was the fastest girl runner in the ninth grade...for one race? Why don't you ask my father? He was there, peeking around a tree. Okay, never mind. You can't ask him; he's in jail.
On my eighteenth birthday I met my father for the first time. That story later.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Due to some not very nice comments from people named Anonymous, I now have to monitor comments before they are published.