by A. Elizabeth Brown

Created on: April 23, 2008

"Daddy, I want.."

"No, put it back, Bug."

"Daddy, can I..."

"Nope," he'd say

butting through a painstakingly constructed plea

The line of his jaw and the way he seemed to be chewing his teeth

told me he meant it

"Dad, tonight's the..."

"Nope," he'd cut in, watching the tv

and I doubted angrily whether he'd seen life at all

except from the boring sling of his armchair

"Dad, would you..."

"Yep," he answered, when I needed help getting my car

even though he made me pay for everything but the insurance

"Dad, I need..."

"Alright," he spared me the shame when the rent was due and I was short

"Dad, I made..."

"I know," simply stated when I finished my studies

but his smiling eyes told me for the first time he was proud

"Sir, may I.."

"Yes," he replied, as the man in my life asked his permission

to take my hand, Dad's eyes brimming with love for me

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