Tales From The Basement
Well Dad used to work a lot at one time, so much so that he was never around, most would say he still isn't due to him being drunk all the time, and you'd pretty much agree.
You find Dad in the living room half passed out. You almost think to come back when he's in a better state, but then you remember this is probably about as sober as he gets.
"Hey Dad I need to ask you something."
Dad looks at you in a drunken daze.
"What tha hell? (Hic!) Whadda you want?"
"Well uh I just wanted some advice on how to get a job."
"Job? (Hic!) What for? Workin' man's a sucker. I worked and worked to support all you bastards and what did it get me? Nuthin! Just a dead wife and sorrow. None of you appreciated her the way I did!"
"Hey, that's not true. We all missed her. As I recall you weren't even at the funeral."
"Because the pain was too great, that's why! And what exactly are you (Hic!) implyin? That I didn't love her? Cause I did! Hell, I loved her enough to produce you and your worthless sib (Hic!) lings!"
"Uh okay." You say and start to back away.
"HEY! Don't you walk away while I'm talking to you!"
At this point your Dad manages to get up to lurch at you, but only succeeds in tripping over his feet and banging his head on the coffee table.
"Argh! Shit. Fuck (sob) Why? Why did you leave me? I was gonna come back just just wasn't enough time (sob) "
You Dad lies on the floor clutching his head and sobbing quietly. He is truly a pitiful sight.
Dad's anger at you is probably misguided and while it's true he wasn't really there for you, it doesn't mean you have to do the same. So you try to console him.
"Erm there there. I'm sure Mom knew how you felt even if you weren't around to help raise five kids "
"(sniff) You think so?"
"Sure, she often mentioned you a lot while you were gone."
"Oh really? What would she say?"
You try to think back to anything positive, but come up empty. You just say non-committal.
"Oh just stuff about wishing you were here "
"Y'know, Suzy I REALLY do wish I could've been here more. It's just always thought I'd have time to spend all the time in the world with her after I retired. If I could just have that time back, I would do everything I wanted to do with her."
Sensing that it might ease his pain you tell him stories about Mom. You try to just focus on the good times you spent with her, rather than all the arguing that usually went on with her and your more unruly siblings.
This seems to cheer him up. He's also sobered up a little while listening to you.
"You really did take after her the most didn't you?" he states.
"Um, yeah I suppose I did." You reply.
Your Dad begins to look around as if to make sure nobody else is around and then looks at you intently.
"I have something of your mother's. I think she'd want you to have. It's in the bedroom, follow me." He whispers and gets up.
You find Dad in the living room half passed out. You almost think to come back when he's in a better state, but then you remember this is probably about as sober as he gets.
"Hey Dad I need to ask you something."
Dad looks at you in a drunken daze.
"What tha hell? (Hic!) Whadda you want?"
"Well uh I just wanted some advice on how to get a job."
"Job? (Hic!) What for? Workin' man's a sucker. I worked and worked to support all you bastards and what did it get me? Nuthin! Just a dead wife and sorrow. None of you appreciated her the way I did!"
"Hey, that's not true. We all missed her. As I recall you weren't even at the funeral."
"Because the pain was too great, that's why! And what exactly are you (Hic!) implyin? That I didn't love her? Cause I did! Hell, I loved her enough to produce you and your worthless sib (Hic!) lings!"
"Uh okay." You say and start to back away.
"HEY! Don't you walk away while I'm talking to you!"
At this point your Dad manages to get up to lurch at you, but only succeeds in tripping over his feet and banging his head on the coffee table.
"Argh! Shit. Fuck (sob) Why? Why did you leave me? I was gonna come back just just wasn't enough time (sob) "
You Dad lies on the floor clutching his head and sobbing quietly. He is truly a pitiful sight.
Dad's anger at you is probably misguided and while it's true he wasn't really there for you, it doesn't mean you have to do the same. So you try to console him.
"Erm there there. I'm sure Mom knew how you felt even if you weren't around to help raise five kids "
"(sniff) You think so?"
"Sure, she often mentioned you a lot while you were gone."
"Oh really? What would she say?"
You try to think back to anything positive, but come up empty. You just say non-committal.
"Oh just stuff about wishing you were here "
"Y'know, Suzy I REALLY do wish I could've been here more. It's just always thought I'd have time to spend all the time in the world with her after I retired. If I could just have that time back, I would do everything I wanted to do with her."
Sensing that it might ease his pain you tell him stories about Mom. You try to just focus on the good times you spent with her, rather than all the arguing that usually went on with her and your more unruly siblings.
This seems to cheer him up. He's also sobered up a little while listening to you.
"You really did take after her the most didn't you?" he states.
"Um, yeah I suppose I did." You reply.
Your Dad begins to look around as if to make sure nobody else is around and then looks at you intently.
"I have something of your mother's. I think she'd want you to have. It's in the bedroom, follow me." He whispers and gets up.