Short Story – The Threatening Child (2)

My dad was very difficult, one minute he’s joking around, the next minute he’s yelling at everybody. As I grew older I thought to myself that my dad was too old to be my dad and it was sort of embarrassing.

 I remember one visiting day in high school I literally begged my dad not to come because I didn’t want friends to think he was my grandfather. And just as expected, he still came after all showing off as my dad even more.

My younger sister and I always had a special bond, I remember her always wanting to go with me wherever I went. She was eleven and I was thirteen. When I became fourteen I was always threatening to run away from home to my other imaginary ‘dad’ with my sister whenever my dad or mum hurt me. 

One day, my mom had enough of my threats, and so the next time I threatened to run away from home, she said “Fine, I will pack your bags so you can leave.”I was shocked and bitter and went ahead to leave the house. I went down two streets away, and after about twenty minutes I saw my dad down the street. He put me on his neck and carried me home. “I don’t think I will run away today, I will run away tomorrow.” I said as my dad took me home.

The threat to run away was never mentioned again after I received a resounding beating from my mum.

Six years down the lane, I am still in love with the man I ran away from and on the journey to become an Economist and not a professor teacher. Thanks to my parents and of course my darling sister who is always willing to run away with me.