“Son!”. He called out, arms open. “Been a long time Dad.” I held him tight, “Too long, I’m sorry.” “All that matters is that your here.” “It’s wonderful to be with you Dad.” “I’ve always known… hoped that this would happen.” “I love you.” “Good. Good.” He nodded, pressing his chin into my shoulder. He still smelt of tobacco. Twenty unfiltered Players Navy Cut a day; but his heart got to him first. “How’s your mother?” Oh God, he still loved her. “Dad she’s crank. There’s bits of her missing, bits you need to be a person.” “What could I do? I tried everything.” “It just wasn’t on Dad. She wasn’t broken, she couldn’t be fixed, there were bits missing.” “I tried so hard.” So sad, and her only dead for 30 years, but he went at 62, 15 years before that.
© Mike Lesser
Illustration Nick Victor