“Kevin, m’boy! How’s it going?” Dad asked, beaming up at me as I gave him a big hug. He had just walked into the unit
“Its okay, I guess. Where’s mom?” I was worried. Now, everything that was even the slightest bit out of the ordinary was worrying me, and mom not being here was definitely out of the ordinary.
“Oh, I’m sorry, son. She couldn’t make it.”
She couldn’t make it.
I led Dad down to my room.
What do you mean she couldn’t make it?
She can’t make it this far, Kevin.
What the hell do you mean?
Kevin, you know what’s going on now. You know where you are. Don’t you understand?
Fuck no I don’t understand!
I’m sorry, buddy, I can’t help you like I used to. You’ve got to start figuring out some of this stuff for yourself.
I started crying. I couldn’t understand why, in all of this mess, I would no longer be granted the privilege of seeing my mom! Not only am I locked up, but my son is probably in a similar situation, and I doubt he’s dealing with everything nearly as well as I am.
You call this well?
Hold up.
What?
Who are you?
What do you mean?
I mean, who the fuck are you!?!
I’m your father, Kevin.
You’re not my dad.
I looked at my dad, who was standing next to me, looking back at me.
How do you know that, Kevin?
I know it because…I just know it.
Good job, son.
What?
You’re getting better.
At what?
At telling the difference.
The difference between what?
The difference between right and wrong.
Dad looked up at me and smiled. And for the first time in at least a day or so, I smiled too.
“Its okay, I guess. Where’s mom?” I was worried. Now, everything that was even the slightest bit out of the ordinary was worrying me, and mom not being here was definitely out of the ordinary.
“Oh, I’m sorry, son. She couldn’t make it.”
She couldn’t make it.
I led Dad down to my room.
What do you mean she couldn’t make it?
She can’t make it this far, Kevin.
What the hell do you mean?
Kevin, you know what’s going on now. You know where you are. Don’t you understand?
Fuck no I don’t understand!
I’m sorry, buddy, I can’t help you like I used to. You’ve got to start figuring out some of this stuff for yourself.
I started crying. I couldn’t understand why, in all of this mess, I would no longer be granted the privilege of seeing my mom! Not only am I locked up, but my son is probably in a similar situation, and I doubt he’s dealing with everything nearly as well as I am.
You call this well?
Hold up.
What?
Who are you?
What do you mean?
I mean, who the fuck are you!?!
I’m your father, Kevin.
You’re not my dad.
I looked at my dad, who was standing next to me, looking back at me.
How do you know that, Kevin?
I know it because…I just know it.
Good job, son.
What?
You’re getting better.
At what?
At telling the difference.
The difference between what?
The difference between right and wrong.
Dad looked up at me and smiled. And for the first time in at least a day or so, I smiled too.