My dad and I never got along. Growing up, he was constantly teasing me about boys, my clothes, my hair, or my friends. Every day we would butt heads on something. I knew he was just doing this to be funny, but it truly bothered me. I hated arguing, and I hated being teased.
For college, I went far away. I’m from New York, and I went to college out in Santa Barbara. Yeah, I know, really, really, far. I liked the distance between my dad and I. During breaks and holidays, I would get a small dosage of him, and then I would go back to school. I didn’t have to argue with him every day, and I was able to be my own person.
After college, I moved to Manhattan. I would come home occasionally to visit my family. By that time, my dad had stopped teasing me. We became really close. Sometimes he would come out to Manhattan to have dinner with me, or we’d meet half way. I liked spending time with him, and I liked being with him. I think he saw me more as an adult than a little kid.
One day when I was at work, I got a phone call. My dad had had a heart attack, and didn’t make it. The next few days were a blur. I couldn’t remember the wake or the funeral. I was devastated.
Love and appreciate your fathers. I didn’t appreciate my dad growing up. I didn’t realize that his teasing was just how he showed that he loved me. I think about my dad everyday and I hope that he’s looking down on me. I love you, dad.
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