Sunday, May 21, 2006

I'd missed my dad


He returned yesterday after being in Florida for a week on family business. We’d been worried that he’d be snatched up by those renegade alligators terrorizing Florida. Ma warned him to stay away from the water.

While he was gone she’d been skipping too many meals, unable to sleep. I had an ear ache and he wasn’t around to make it better. My exercise machine popped a band almost decapitating the cat across the room. His 100 lb plus dog the very same dog that broke my laptop screen awhile back jumped in my lap as I was typing a paper slamming his massive paw onto my F10 button sending it flying off my laptop and under the sofa. I couldn’t fix it, I put it away awaiting his return.

As soon as he came in he hugged her, he kissed her, and twirled a long ringlet of her hair in between his fingers he’d missed her. He kissed his children and asked for the whereabouts of his oldest, that would be me. He unwrapped the aloe vera plant and the fresh oregano he’d brought his wife from his mother’s garden and gave each of the kids a gift he’d picked up for them. After putting his suitcase away he went straight into the kitchen. He was not happy that she hadn’t been eating properly while he was gone. He put on a pot of water and threw in some pasteles grandma sent . He made her favorite meal grilled chicken breast, arroz con gandules and a salad. An hour later he led her to the table feeding her from his plate despite there being a plate in front of her. “It tastes better this way”, he said kissing away the little bit of pastel that had gotten on her lip.

After dinner he turned his attention to the missing F10 button it couldn’t be fixed a tiny hinge was missing. It will have to be taken in to be repaired. He fixed the band on the exercise machine replacing the piece that had snapped. His oldest child walked in, he hugged me and asked how my ear was, “it’s okay now. Lingering in his arms, I said “Father you are forbidden from ever leaving this house again!” He laughed and kissed the top of my head as he hugged me tighter and smiled at mom. I was glad that he was back home from his trip I'd really missed my dad.

Labels: dad

Posted by @ 3:01 AM
3 comment from:  Laila K,  Mr. Khurram,  Mia,