Short Stories Project

Saturday, March 26, 2005

You (Part VI)

< Part V :: Return to Index :: Part VII >

6) Intransigence
Time: 3 years

Like many other teenagers, you will reach your rebellious stage at the tender age of fifteen. This is when you no longer listen to my advice, no longer regard me as a holy sage whose wisdom was etched in gold.

Every step you took, you tried to fight me, tried to buckle at the reins that I had on you. Many times, you succeeded. When you ran away from home, when you quarrelled with me loudly in the aisles of Fairprice, when you told me straight in my face, what you thought of me and my advice.

I would most vividly remember a certain afternoon, when you stormed downstairs, simply raring for a fight. Halfway down the stairs, you slid down the banister, like you always do.

I could not help it, even after all these years. An immediate admonishment was on my tongue when I spied you doing that. How could I not have criticized you, when my heart skipped several beats every time you did that?

But before the words were even out of my mouth, you already bore down on me like an avenging angel. You told me that all my advice were bullshit, that you were a good climber and that was that. You loved rock climbing, and would not allow me to take away your hobby, like I chased away your father. It would be the first time I hear you say that.

Know that it is your father who had no wish to see you. That somehow, as I made up excuses for him, it seemed as if I was keeping you from him. You chose to believe him rather than me, even though it was I who brought you up.

I was in a state of shock and said nothing in my defence. Simple words from a teenager like you had the power to break my heart. From the tears in your eyes, I knew that you were hurting too. But you put on a brave front and continued your verbal assault. You said if I knew everything then I should have been able to guess this. Know what? You informed me helpfully. You were seeing a guy. Like clockwork, a rev of motorcycle engines could be heard outside. He drives a Harley and sports a tattoo on his chest. If I were clairvoyant, you challenged, I would have guessed that! So saying, you stormed out of the house before I could tell you that no, I was not clairvoyant, but I do know of your boyfriend, just like I know you were seeing him to anger me.

That day, I realised that I could not change your fate just as I could not stop seasons from changing. I realised that in order to improve our relationship together in these final years, I had to set you free, allow you to do whatever you wanted, as long as they were reasonably normal.

I knew that if I continued to be as stubborn as you were, what was left of our time together would be filled with bitterness, something I did not want.

Besides, it would have changed nothing.

< Part V :: Return to Index :: Part VII >

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