"Dad" By Michael

"DAD” BY MICHAEL
LAST NIGHT I WAS WITH MY DAD
 
   LAST NIGHT MY DAD WHO IS VERY SICK AND CONFUSED WENT IN TO MY BEDROOM BY MISTAKE AND LAID DOWN ON MY BED, HE WAS CONFUSED, SO I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT HE WAS IN THE WRONG ROOM.  I HELPED HIM OUT OF MY BED WHILE EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO GO UPSTAIRS TO HIS ROOM.  AS I HELPED HIM OUT OF MY BED I REMEMBERED HOW HE LOST HIS ABILITY TO SPEAK AND COMMUNICATE MANY MONTHS AGO.  YET, WE HAVE SPOKEN MANY TIMES.  NOT VERBALLY BUT THROUGH SOME MANNER THAT DEVELOPED AS HE GOT SICKER AND SICKER OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.  IT HAS BEEN LIKE A CHILD LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE, EVERY LOOK MEANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.  ALTHOUGH HE CANNOT SPEAK WORDS AS THEY WENT AWAY LITTLE BY LITTLE, HE SPOKE SENTENCES TO ME.  I KNOW WHEN HE IS FEELING BETTER AND I KNOW WHEN HE IS FEELING WORSE.
 
   I FEED HIM, I BATH HIM AND I DRESS HIM.  I TAKE HIM OUT FOR EXERCISE TO REHAB AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK.  AS I LIFTED HIM INTO A STANDING POSITION HE GAVE ME A LOOK OF CONFUSION BUT THAT PASSED AS A STARE INTO MY EYES CALMED HIM, BECAUSE HE HAD COME TO A CALMNESS OF RECOGNITION WHEN I GENTLY TOUCHED HIM OR SPOKE TO HIM AS I ORGANIZED HIM THROUGH HIS DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES.
 
   I WAS NEVER MY FATHER’S FAVORITE CHILD, AND ALTHOUGH HE IS CLOSE TO DEATH, HE AND I HAVE COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING.  MY BROTHERS AND SISTER CANNOT HANDLE BEING AROUND HIM IN THIS STATE, THEY BREAK AT THE SITE OF HIS SUFFERING.  I THINK THEY ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE FINAL OUTCOME. BUT I CHERISH THESE MOMENTS WITH HIM BECAUSE I AM NOT READY TO LET HIM GO YET.  I STILL NEED MY DAD.
 
   AS I GOT HIM TO HIS FEET, HE CALMED AND I COULD SEE A POSITIVE EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE AS IF TO SAY “I CAN COUNT ON YOU.” I WALKED HIM TO THE BEDROOM DOOR AND PROCEEDED THROUGH THE HALL TOWARDS THE STEPS UP STAIRS.  I HAD FORGOTTEN, WHICH I WOULD REMEMBER, THAT HE NO LONGER STAYED UPSTAIRS.  I LOOKED BACK INTO MY ROOM AND I WAS CONFUSED, BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS MY ROOM BUT IT WAS ALSO HIS ROOM.
 
   I JUST LOOKED INTO HIS EYES, NOT KNOWING WEATHER TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD.  I NEEDED A HUG AND I FELT HE DID ALSO.  SO IN THE HALLWAY I JUST GENTLY WRAPPED MY ARMS AROUND HIM AND SAID, “I LOVE YOU DAD.”  HE CLOSED HIS ARMS AROUND ME AND TIGHTENED AND LET OUT A NOISE THAT LET ME KNOW THAT HE WAS OK FOR THAT MOMENT.  I HAVE HUGGED HIM OFTEN OVER THE PAST YEAR AND I TALKED TO HIM EVERY DAY.  ALL I KNOW, IS THAT FOR THOSE COUPLE MOMENTS, IS THAT I COULD FEEL HIS LOVE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.  HE IS MY DAD YOU KNOW!  THEN I REALIZED I WAS STANDING IN THE HALL ALONE.
 
    I LOOKED BACK INTO MY ROOM AND SAW MY BED, BUT I ALSO SAW MY DAD LEAVING THAT ROOM FOR THE LAST TIME, FIVE MONTHS AGO!
 
   BUT JESUS KNOWS, I HELD MY DAD LAST NIGHT AGAIN, BECAUSE I CAN NOT LET HIM GO YET.
           I LOVE YOU DAD AND I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN!
 
09SEPT2009© TlmcSr
DEDICATED TO MY DAD, MR. THOMAS E. CASSIDY, SR   
(16OCT1929 TO 08APR2009)
GOD BLESS DAD’S SOUL
 
 TERR - THE 3RD SON WITH A 3RD SON

COLONEL T. CASSIDY
GOVERNOR’S STAFF
ATLANTA GEORGIA

PROF. T. L.. MICHAEL CASSIDY SR.
MYLAN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PHERMACY
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

MASTER-T
ISSHINRYU KARATE ACADEMY OF PITTSBURGH