Happy Father's day

‘I want that toy.’, I shouted.

The strong hand holding me pulled me away from the shop. I was afraid of his fierce eyes. One look from them, made me squirm always. I was silent.

At the age of 7, I was an obedient child. I did not have options anyways.

The helicopter buzzed in the distance.
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‘Dad, I want a Street Hawk cycle.’, I demanded.

‘What is the need?’, he shot back.

‘All my school friends have. I have tuitions and I have to walk so much.’, I tried my best to reason.

‘So? Didn’t we at this age walked for miles? Your generation just wants everything served on the plate. No, no cycle. Walk’, and he returned to his paper.

The feelings of hate had started to develop. What kind of father he was? I slammed my door and shut myself.’

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‘Dad, I want a bike. All my friends in the college have one. I feel so ashamed to sit behind them or come by bus’, I was trying in vain.

‘When you have proper connectivity to your college, market etc., why do you want a bike? We are not staying in a remote area.’, his usual reasoning came up.

The hate had transformed into anger now over the years.

‘You know what, you are a miser, a cold hearted father, who never ever has given me things I wanted. I hate you dad, I hate you for everything.’

He kept silent.

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I studied harder in my college, did part time jobs, accumulated money. I wanted to show him that I can earn more money than him, can buy whatever I want, anytime I want.

My interactions with my father decreased. I moved in a hostel with my money from the job. Bought a bike on EMI.



I got a scholarship to study abroad. I went home once to get his blessings. I knew he was jealous that his son could do what he could not. I felt victorious.

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I married Claire. I told him on phone. His reply was dry as usual. He asked me why did I bother to call when I had already married?

It was funny to see him like that. I knew he could not interfere with my life. anymore.
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I was under severe debt. The recession had hit me bad. All my savings, my house was mortgaged. I was in a bad state.

The telephone rang. My father was admitted in a hospital.

Being a son, I had to go. But I had an interview at my company.

We were being interviewed to prove if we were still fit for the company. I was unfit. Unemployed.

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He did not survive. He died a day before I reached. I was not sure if I should be sad or not.

I performed the last rites.

His lawyer came up to me and handed me his will.

He had left everything, his house, his savings for his only son – that was me. He had two houses which I was not aware of. It was for me. He had bought a piece of land. It was for me. He had lots of cash , his hard work, in the bank. It was for me.

A small envelope was there. It had my father’s writing – ‘Son, whatever I earned, was always for you. I did not give you a helicopter because I wanted you to soar high by yourself. I did not give you a cycle so that you can appreciate the hard work. I did not get you a bike so that you could understand the value of self sufficiency. I always loved you my son and I would have loved if for once you could have come with my daughter in law. I do not know if I will live to see you again, but I am leaving enough money for you to live happily for the rest of your life. I know you are having a bad time there and this should help you a lot, love Dad’



I was not sure if I should be sad or not.

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Dads, never show their love as mothers do. They keep silent, watch you all the time and feel proud when you exceed their achievements. Remember it was your father who held your hand when you fell, it was he who felt proud when you excelled in your studies and it was he who told his friends that my child has a job. He cries but never in open, he speaks but without a word, his blessings are there without putting a hand.



Go give your father a big HUG . Tell him how much you love him!


** - Edited by Ditipriya C
***** - Not inspired from any other story. Any similarities is purely coincidental.