The old man.
Is 66 year old.
Is retired.
Is chatting animatedly with other old men at the nearby kopitiam.
__________
From afar (actually not so far away), i observed this old man. Happily chatting away with other men of his age. I was at the grocery, waiting for my father. This old man, with his greying hair seem young compared to others with hair of white. I could hear him talking about his sons and daughter. How proud he is with his daughter passing her Grade 8 piano examination and one of his son graduating from college soon. I was a little put off by his “bragginess”. And he complained how his son sometimes talks to him rudely or never seem to appreciate his little gestures he does that show that he cares.
I felt like ‘termakan cili’ (siapa makan cili rasa pedas) hearing what he said. It reminded me of a recent incident.
I hanged my clothes after taking them out of the washing machine. After the clothes had dried, my father took the clothes back in to the house before the humid weather wets the clothes during the evening. I shouted at him. Telling him not to touch my clothes. Just let it be. Obviously, he was disappointed at my behavior.
However rude i seem to be, I just didn’t want him to be too nice to me. I just couldn’t tell him that i don’t want him to pamper me. I don’t need a father that does my chores or iron my shirts. I don’t need him to push the food closer to me during dinner. I don’t need him to say “please” whenever he has needs of me.
Many a times, i always think that my father simply don’t understand a particular situation. Then i start to argue with him, thinking that i am definitely correct. Turns out i am correct, but my father is way more accurate. If you ask me, i’ll tell you my father is the wisest man i’ve known.
Do all these mean i respect him less? No. It means i just want him to relax a little bit and let me be the one to show my concerns.
Tomorrow, the earth may crumble and the sky may fall. But he’ll still be my father. He doesn’t have to ask for my respect. He doesn’t have to earn my respect. He doesn’t need to…simply because he is my father.
__________
The old man.
Is leaving and walking towards me.
Is my father.
Yours Sincerely,
the SOn.
