|
|
  | | |
|
» Book Reviews » Features » Short Stories
| FEATURES Happy Father's Day Dad Ruth Bradbury-Horton When I was a little girl my life evolved around my Mum. She was the one who sorted out the nitty gritty, made sure I washed behind my ears, and ate the dreaded veggies. When I was little bit older she was gone. And that left my Dad and me. Now I’m a much older little girl, indeed an adult with my own children, but even today I still turn to my Dad for laughter and guidance. My Dad has been my inspiration. I cherish my time with him, which is never enough. He lives in the UK, and I, well I have lived here for nearly 25 years. I miss him so badly. I still want to be able to go around to his house for a cup of tea and chat when I feel like it. I long to be able to hug him and wish him happy birthday, or to say thank you to him personally for being my Dad on Father’s Day. It might seem strange for a daughter to express her love for her Dad in this way, but I want the world to know just what he means to me. I can honestly say that without him in my life I would not be complete. The excitement I feel when I know he’s coming to visit puts me into an animated frenzy that one normally expects from a child. I walk around with a stupid smile on my face for days before he arrives, and I never cease to blab at everybody I meet that “my Dad is coming to visit”, they must think I’m truly bonkers. The day of his arrival I’m almost near boiling point. I arrive at the airport with ample time to see his plane arrive, and spend at least the next forty minutes bouncing around the arrival hall trying to glimpse at every living sole who ventures through the doors. I just can’t wait to see him, the tears of joy well up in my eyes and my heart pounds with anticipation. I can’t even begin to explain the feelings of happiness and delight I experience when he walks through with his luggage trolley and his wonderful smiling round face. I’m in daughter heaven. So if you had to ask me why is he so special, would you expect me to say it’s because he spoils me with gifts and promises of a trust fund? I hope not! I’d hate to be so shallow! Well I’ll tell you. He makes me laugh. The kind of laugh that one calls a belly laugh, the stuff that has you gasping for breath and leaves your sides aching. He just seems to open his mouth and I laugh. There are few people in this world that can do that to me. But that’s not all.
He gives me advice, but in a way that I’m left to make my own decision. Sure it wasn’t always like that, when I was kid he had to make the decisions for me, but now as an adult when I’m faced with a “biggy” in the decision arena, he weighs it up and tells me like it is. No mincing, no dancing around words, he helps me to see both sides, even if I find myself being the problem. And that’s not always easy to stomach let me tell you.
Today I stand up and raise my glass to salute you Dad.
Happy Father’s Day Dad
| | |
| |||
