Dad

Wow, the Internet cafes are a lot better than last time I was here. Real broadband, not dial-up in disguise. I picked the cheap hotel (two stars to be generous) because it had free broadband Internet. Yeah, sure, and I’m staying in the same room the Queen and Prince Philip use when they pass by. Whatever. Okay, I promised to say a bit about Dad. Dad is 83, I think, and has lived alone with no family or friends for decades now. He’s happy. I don’t know how he does it. Ironically, I think the dementia helps. He used to be moody, but he’s happy pretty much all the time now. I hate to use victim language, but he didn’t stand much of a chance as the son of alcoholic parents, one of thirteen kids. He’s never learned how to sustain relationships, as evidenced by his two broken marriages (one of his wives died). I could go on. I’ve seen people overcome worse, but not without a lot of work, and God of course. Talk about the sins of the parents being visited on the children. Our family – I mean all of us – have paid a toll for the way my Dad is. I’m not sure any of us can fully explain it. Dad’s old now, has dementia, lives alone, and has had cancer and other assorted illnesses in his past. A few years ago, we came to visit and found him collapsed in the bathroom. We don’t live forever, and one of these days it will be the last time I see him. One more thing about Dad: despite the way he is, he’s not a bad guy. Generous, excellent sense of humor, blah blah blah. How things had been different. (Although if he had learned to stay married, I suppose I wouldn’t be here as the offspring of his third wife). Well, time to go see my Dad.

Darryl Dash

Darryl Dash

I'm a grateful husband, father, oupa, and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Don Mills. I love learning, writing, and encouraging. I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.
Toronto, Canada