I missed you

[saw]

he said he missed me
this guy I call dad, but when
he leaves a message on the machine
always says, This is Your Father
I didn't know what to say
I had been swamped, hadn't
been by for awhile, tho
went every week for many years
cut his grass, bought his groceries
fixed things, and it was kind of hard
to figure out during those visits
if he was happy to see me or not
and certainly we all knew that talking
about feelings was a no no
in our family, so here we are
one day last week with the ever present TV
blasting out a game show from the amen corner
of his perch, and clear out of the commercial blue
from his mouth to my ear, he says
You Know, I've missed You
and I think Wow.......it took ninety years

[revolutionR]

my dad was a stranger to me, I mean I knew about him
that he was a good provider, and that he existed
he came to all of one little league game.
i remember him having some kind of tirades
when i was a child, angry at my mom, angry of me
angry at the world, about something i never knew
otherwise he went to his job at the aircraft factory
i think he was pissed that he knew he would never
rise up the ranks, because he only had a high school education
even though he took some college classes in night school, he
would never make boss, he was cross, and his position
was a toss up the whole time he worked for that gold watch
they kept him around because he hung in there for so long
i never heard him sing a song, but he liked Ray Charles
so i guess he was cool.

[whoaisme]

it took ninety years....damn man! that's sad and happy at the same time.

[WIREMAN]

beautiful....best thing u can say is better late than never....thanks for sharing

[saw]

thanx rabbit, wireman, whoaisme....I don't know how other families were, but in ours i think living through the hard times of the depression, losing siblings, struggling for work, my dad learned to not get too attached to anything you care about....ie, don't name the chickens and pigs that will end up on the dinner plate....R, you mention the aircraft factory, and my dad was a steelworker...to them, a good job was all that mattered...he worked double shifts most of his career...and he didn't think anything about taking off the belt to get us in line...to him the world was a harsh place, no time for levity and lollygagging....he did what he thought was best, without malice....he kept his distance, but what can you say about a guy that refused to go the bar with the boys, and brought his check home to mom....I get it....he's still a bit of a stranger.....hardheaded and always right....but we don't get to chose our parents, and I know it could have been so much worse.....life goes on....so today I will drive the 30 miles, to take care of his needs, like he did for mine a long long time ago

[dadio]

No one tells it like you. V.good.