I know that I am not going to stay for long in the City anymore, so I guess I have to make my second visit before leaving.
“ Hey Dad.... I'm sorry I didn't show up Yesterday as promised, was quite occupied with my current activity going on....”, I apologized sitting before him, this time we were seated on a table opposite each other, he doesn't look like he's even concerned about me not showing up, he's the one that understands how busy life can get at this stage of my life.
“ If you had come, I wouldn't be surprised and also, I'm not surprised that you didn't come either, knew that no one can predict the future, at least not you....”, he said jokingly as he laughed genuinely, the smile shockingly reaching his eyes for a person serving a prison sentence, heard he was charged to spend ten years in here.
“ Last time I forgot to ask you where I can find David, do you possibly know where he is?....”, I asked, not sure whether he would really be willing to tell me.
“ Probably living under the same roof with his Mother, I wouldn't say I know where exactly but I can tell you where my ex wife once lived after divorcing with me....”.
Hearing this, I got that fresh painful feeling that this man here has suffered way more than I can remember, totally forgot about the divorce that made him divide his properties, now David is now living with that same woman he hated and said she never wanted him, can't really imagine all that has changed in David until I saw with my own eyes.
“ You know Jones, My son David was never disobedient, no.... He was a respectful and loving son who only lacked his mother's love and since then acts like a girl rather than Man, he talks about his emotional issues, he lacks self discipline and can't push himself to make a decision for himself, instead he waits for Daddy to come tell him what to do, something you were totally different from. Not that it's a comparison, but it's a fact, people learn from people, they compare themselves inside when they're alone and hate comparison when they're in the public, David my boy was that son who wants to be controlled by someone who knows the path, he was the reason I am in here only because I wanted him to grow to become a Man....”.
Is he intentionally putting me into confusion or was that unintentional?, I blamed myself for him ending up in prison, but he blames his son for that, the more we speak, the more confusion arises.
“ I'm confused Uncle Dale....”, I said to him, he smiled and looked back at me, hands placed together, “ That's why you keep learning a lot Jones, you ask questions..... You see, a Father can go any length to see his son successful, After I listened to those words you said to me that early morning in the kitchen challenging me, I realized that my boy David can still grow to become a Man even if he lives with me under the same roof, chicken chases her kids away when the time comes, the Lions pride is made up of one or two lions, then there are lionesses, the boys are chased away from the pride at the right time leaving only one successor, maybe.... LoL, I am not actually a lion but I know few stuffs. So what I'm saying is this Jones, When you fled, I decided that with what you taught me and things I have learnt, that David will live under my protection until he's ready to take over, but that was a mistake swap, you should have been the one to stay while he flees, you can always find success whether with me or away from me, but David, David needs to be put in an uncomfortable position for him to grow.... Knowing that, I decided to make a decision, decisions always costs a man, but that's always his responsibility to carry, I got you into my home to bring him competition, not actually to make him live happily, his emotions has nothing to do with the growth he should have went after, I directs him on things to do and he lives by my order, a sign of a good son to some people and a sign of a weak son to me. I made the decision that since I can't get him to leave my house rudely just like chicken and most animals do, I decided to be the one to leave and see how he takes on with life, I came to the station, reported my illegal act of sneaking you out of the Orphanage without proper procedures, don't worry, I didn't mention Mr Caleb, he will get a toll of his payment when God wants him to, but I sold myself away, got charged and will be locked in here for a few years, that's quite a gamble on my son to see his abilities without me in the picture, but now..... Now I believe that I failed as a father.....”.
He began crying, crying for the second time before me, both tears were meant for his kids, the first was because he haven't seen me for some years and I came back as the son he's proud of, why now, now he's crying because he thought he didn't do a great job on his other son, taking responsibility for whatever David has become, Uncle Dale here is the true definition of a father, a father who loves his son and wants what's best for them even if he has to make them swim across the ocean.
Can I ever become a father like Uncle Dale?, I can only dream of it, he has quite a strong heart to allow everything he loves to walk away, he is the proud man he is today because of the tough decisions he has made in this short Life we live in.