Lonely Duty

Being a father ain't all that it's cracked up to be.

Lonely Duty

 

 

 

 

A lonely boy becomes a man wishing that to be a father.

 

As a lonely man finds love and sees his chance to realize his silent dream of fatherhood.

 

A desperate couple failed for years to conceive.

So they Pray.

So they Wish.

So many years of trying again and again.

 

Then a bonafide miracle.

 

He was perfect

The love they felt

The happiness they received

The joy they discovered was greater than anything ever imagined.

 

Then he started school.

 

The logic of an adult is useless to a child.

The logic of a child is fathomless to an adult.

 

"Daddy, I’m sick! Really I am! I am not lying this time!"

 

"You’ve lied every morning for three weeks straight! Your going to school!"

 

"No I’m not!"

 

"Yes you are!"

 

For one hour in a crowded school parking lot.

People come and go enjoying the show and making judgmental stares.

As man and boy chase each other around the car.

As father and son plead to the other for understanding.

As adult and child face off in a match of stubbornness.

 

There was no winner.

In the end the father physically prevailed.

Dragging his son, his pride and joy, kicking and screaming to the room.

 

There was no victor.

No elation at doing one’s parental duty.

Only shame and sadness that has stalked the father the whole day through.

 

At the end of the day the father sits watching late night reruns.

A lonely man defeated.

Reviews

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

Be joyful, it only gets worse as time passes. Teen years to come will test your last nerve, but there is a bright spot in your future, grandchildren. You can spoil them and watch your son be the daddy. Well written

[Salvatore Buttaci]

It's a timeworn story which you tell quite well.

Sal

[bluessadmood]

this is strong and sad ,after years of waiting ,then i am a father ,i have a son,i just can not communicate ,i wish him the best but at times i go fat with it ,i think i may hurt my love and joy ,i stress too much cause i love my little one but trying too hard with a soft thing it may break ,and so all your love turn tragic,this is so wise and full of thoughts i could go on forever ,lovely and great writing ,loved it all

[DeeWV]

This has such a sadness to it. it deals I think of our feelings of inadequacy at child raising.
It rings with reality. I remember my youngest going off to school. He was clinging to the
front porch post, and I was trying to pry him away from him while the bus driver
patiently waited. Both my son & I crying tears for different reasons. it is humorous now, he is
37, but it certainly was not then.

Dee

[Tovli]

a solid epoch--that covers a spectrum of development--many doors opening and closing. The didactic approach was used very well and the blend of emotional ups and downs was well defined. tovli

[Carey Lenehan]

Beautifully expresses the dilemma of parenthood, all those dreams and expectations we had of ourselves to surpass our own parents performance stopped in their tracks by reality. The miracle becomes the greatest disappointment. This didn't flow that well but the clarity of description and the profound honesty carries it well and makes the sentiment very clear. You are never lonelier than when you are a parent who went against their instinct to protect their child. I've been in this very situation so thanks for helping me realise that I am not so alone after all!