“You have to do what needs to be done.”
Jack1
Registrant
It was really hot standing on the porch. It was not only scorching hot, it was very humid. I watched as my mother drove away, hoping that someone was home. It would not be a pleasant experience if I ended up standing in the heat for very long. I rang the doorbell again.
Finally the door opened and a tall man told me in a stern tone to come inside. I knew who he was and had seen him before. This was the first time I had been this close to him. I stepped inside past the man and stood in the entryway.
“We won’t get much done if you just stand there. Come inside for God’s sake. I don’t have all day. You know what your here for.”
“Yes, they told me.” I was only nine but by now I knew what was supposed to happen.
“Well then, get your clothes off and wait here. I’ll be back .”
He quickly walked toward the back of the house and disappeared. I had undressed and was standing there when he came back, dressed in a blue robe.
You do know what you’re supposed to do, right?”
“Yes”
“Your father should end up in staying jail but I’ll make an exception this time. Driving while as drunk as he was is a serious crime. “
“Yes, I want him to stop drinking.”
“We can’t just let people break laws and not have to pay the penalty.”
“I know”
“Well I don't have forever. We need to get this show on the road.”
After he was done he seemed somewhat angry. He swore at me telling me I needed to get dressed and go sit on the steps of the stairway by the entry way. I had no way of knowing what I had done wrong but he was obviously agitated.
“Your fucking drunken father should be thanking me that I was willing to forgo the fine and let him go home to his sorry fucking family”
“Yes sir, I’m sure he is very thankful.”
“I phoned your shitty mother and she will be here shortly. You can sit your ass outside on the porch while you wait for her.”
“Yes sir, thank you for helping our family.”
It was only a few minutes before she drove up. On the way home I began crying but she told me I had nothing to cry about. “You have to do what needs to be done.”
Later, much later they named the city aquatics center and the new courthouse after him. I remember seeing his obituary after he died at 91 year of age. It was full of praise from many important people.
Somehow I wasn’t surprised my name didn’t appear as one of his survivors.
Finally the door opened and a tall man told me in a stern tone to come inside. I knew who he was and had seen him before. This was the first time I had been this close to him. I stepped inside past the man and stood in the entryway.
“We won’t get much done if you just stand there. Come inside for God’s sake. I don’t have all day. You know what your here for.”
“Yes, they told me.” I was only nine but by now I knew what was supposed to happen.
“Well then, get your clothes off and wait here. I’ll be back .”
He quickly walked toward the back of the house and disappeared. I had undressed and was standing there when he came back, dressed in a blue robe.
You do know what you’re supposed to do, right?”
“Yes”
“Your father should end up in staying jail but I’ll make an exception this time. Driving while as drunk as he was is a serious crime. “
“Yes, I want him to stop drinking.”
“We can’t just let people break laws and not have to pay the penalty.”
“I know”
“Well I don't have forever. We need to get this show on the road.”
After he was done he seemed somewhat angry. He swore at me telling me I needed to get dressed and go sit on the steps of the stairway by the entry way. I had no way of knowing what I had done wrong but he was obviously agitated.
“Your fucking drunken father should be thanking me that I was willing to forgo the fine and let him go home to his sorry fucking family”
“Yes sir, I’m sure he is very thankful.”
“I phoned your shitty mother and she will be here shortly. You can sit your ass outside on the porch while you wait for her.”
“Yes sir, thank you for helping our family.”
It was only a few minutes before she drove up. On the way home I began crying but she told me I had nothing to cry about. “You have to do what needs to be done.”
Later, much later they named the city aquatics center and the new courthouse after him. I remember seeing his obituary after he died at 91 year of age. It was full of praise from many important people.
Somehow I wasn’t surprised my name didn’t appear as one of his survivors.
