yesterday it hit me, after 8 years, that i’m a dad. i brought bagel with me on errands to pick up some food before the colts/browns game at 4:25pm. because game 6 of the finals were right after, i picked up food for dinner, too. i hit the king, then thai house. while we were at the light on north tryon and wt harris blvd, give me one reason by tracy chapman came on the radio station. immediately when i heard the initial guitar strings, i turned to bagel who was sitting in the backseat. i told him how this was my first favorite song. i didn’t even understand english, but i loved when i heard this song on the radio while i was young, riding with my parents to run errands in durham in the 90’s. during the middle of my explanation, i was interrupted by the thought of how dads in movies and tv shows do this type of explaining to their sons.
what a beautiful moment it was when it hit me. i finished explaining to bagel how important and significant give me one reason was, and although he may have not fully grasped the message i was attempting to convey, i was happy with the fact that i’m his dad and he’s my son.
-ratha, 5:24pm, 10.12.20