Saturday, March 30, 2013

A Son's Letter To His Workaholic Father

Dear Tazi:

Could you please print my letter on a Saturday? It is the only day of the week that my Dad is home from work, when he is home  from work. He travels from Monday through Friday and then spends Sunday preparing to leave for his next trip, sometimes taking a plane Sunday afternoon to avoid the Monday morning travel rush. I want him to have the time to see my letter and to read it. Thanks.

An Open Letter To My Dad Who Sometimes Forgets He Has A Kid

Hi, Dad, it's me, your son! You remember me, don't you? I'll forgive you if you don't; Mom tells me that you weren't there in the delivery room when I was being born because you were away on business. I was two days old already by the time you met me! You weren't around much when I was a toddler, either, or so Mom says and I am inclined to believe her considering how you are almost never around now. I asked Mom how come the two of you never divorced, and she told me that she never sees you now anyway and that divorce wouldn't change that. I think she still loves you, Dad, and wants to spend time with you and not someone else. I think that is why she stays with you, because she hopes that someday you will come home for more than a day or two at a time.

I am fifteen now, Dad. Did you know that? I'm asking because you missed my last birthday; you were travelling for work. Mom gave me a great present and said that it was from the both of you, but I am pretty sure you knew nothing about it. Do you know what the gift was? I'll give you $100 if you can tell me! I know you don't need the $100; that must be pennies to you, considering how much money you must make with all of the hours you work and the house where Mom and I live and the summer home and the vacations...sure wish you could join us some time, Dad. It would be great to have you there! I know you came with us when we went to Bermuda last month, but you stayed in the hotel the whole time, talking to people on the phone and working on your computer. Mom and I had a vacation, you had work. Is that why I don't have any brothers or sisters? Because you are always too busy with work?

I have so many questions to ask you, Dad! Stuff I can't ask Mom. You know, guy stuff. Stuff that would make Mom blush and put a parental lock on my Internet access. I also want to know regular stuff, like what you do when you are away on your business trips. Last year, I counted the number of days you were on the road. Did you know that you were traveling for 322 days last year? That meant you were only home for 44 days. Don't worry, Dad, I got the math right. I added an extra day because last year was a leap year. Even with that extra day, you weren't home on it.

I am growing up fast, says Grandma! She always says stuff like that, tells me that I am going to be a man before I know it. She says I remind her a lot of you when you were my age. Were you like me when you were my age? I suppose you can't really answer that, because you really don't know what I am like. I'd like to change all that, Dad. I want to be able to spend time with you, doing stuff that fathers and sons are supposed to do together. Maybe we can go paintballing the next time you are home? Did you play paintball when you were my age? Did they have paintball when you were my age? 

I was at Grandma's this week, and she had the radio on that lame "easy listening" station that she always listens to, and a song came on that reminded me of us. It scared me, Dad. The man was singing about a Dad who was always too busy for his son and when the son grew up he was too busy for his son. I love you Dad, but I don't want to grow up to be you. I don't want to be the Dad who is too busy making money to give his family everything that he gives them everything but his time. I want to spend time with you, Dad, like my friends spend time with their Dads. Skyping does not count as spending time together. Baseball season is coming up; maybe you can come see me play this year. My coach says I am good enough to make All-State if I keep in practice! I want you to see me so I can make you proud, the way you make me proud. 

Yeah, Dad, in spite of everything I just wrote, I am proud to call you my Dad, because I know you travel so much because you love Mom and me, not because you are trying to get away from us, even though it can feel that way sometimes. If you are reading this, that means it is Saturday and you are probably home. Wanna go play catch? I have an extra mitt.

Love,
Your Son

Dear Writer,

Here is your letter, in its unedited entirety, posted on a Saturday as you requested. I chose this particular Saturday because it is both the Easter and Passover weekend, so I thought there would be a good chance of your father being home with you and your Mom. I hope for both your sake that he sees it.

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.


No comments:

Post a Comment