i can tell you that.
obviously i will never have the chance to experience the tough process behind it.
but i know what im talking about.
let me share with you the classic 5 encounters i have had with my dad that i will never forget (and never failed to tell a friend about and the friend usually gets very amazed/ happy/ astonished (in a good way)):
1) my dad and i use to go to 7-11 every night for Popsicle after dinner.
my favorite popsicle then was red bean flavor.
the 7-11 fridge was way too cold, so was the popsicle.
i, as a child at that time, didn't give it a second thought when i grabbed hold of that tasty looking popsicle and jabbed it in my mouth.
and my lips were stuck on it.
like stuck.
see, if i was thinking with my head straight, i would've left it in there and waited for it to melt.
instead, with me in panic- mode, and daddy in his own "ohh popsicle" world too,
i jerked the whole thing out of my mouth.
resulting in a rather horrifying looking red mouth.
i screamed. dad stopped. turned around. and i can still remember that face.
hahah!
i was a little too big to be carried, but he did it anyways.
and instead of going to the closest toilet,
he ran home carrying me.
hahah!
i was crying and screaming and all that in the elevator
and there were other people in there too, and i remember them looking horrified too haha.
dad probably was too panic to realize any of that, cuz its the first time i've seen dad walk so fast!
(my dads the most "take your time" person on the planet. i use to get pissed off at it, now i know why. :] why rush? theres so much to enjoy :])
i remember dad didn't even bother grabbing his keys to open the door,
he rang the door bell
which pissed mom off
but when she opened the door,
her face was like this--> *O*
and with my mom's speed (now, shes light speed compared to dad)
grabbed me, pulled me to the toilet, (at that point i was still holding onto my beloved red bean popsicle which murdered me haha), took my popsicle and threw it out, and started wiping the shit off my mouth.
and mom started laughing.
"its not even blood on her, dad. its all the red bean coloring. why didn't you CHECK before running home??"
hahha, and dad just gave her a "uh" and that was it.
but i'd remember that forever.
because i'd never jab a popsicle in my mouth anymore. i always lick it first! :]
2) Dad loves us. a lot.
and hes always stuck in between when me and mom are arguing.
theres this ONE time i remember, i was busing home
mom called, and got furious because she said i ate after school again
which means i'll have no appetite for her home- cooked meal
see, now i get it. it is confusing to have someone come home full when you've spent the day trying to cook for that person.
but i was hungry.
and dad always say, eat when you are.
i walked up to the house door, and hesitated to get in.
i was actually a bit scared, i didn't want another argument.
not when im actually a bit hungry already.
so i called dad.
i was sitting on the stairs in front of the door.
on a blazing hot sunny hong kong day
with my lovely stray dogs walking pass me.
and i called dad.
see, dad, being the usual dad told me to suck it in.
for the first time though, he told me to go in and ignore mom, and close the door.
i did it that time,
but this other time i didn't.
i went in, and world war 3 started in my living room.
and obviously after i said all those i shouldn't have, dad comes into the room.
and this is why i respect my dad.
he said,
"you really shouldn't be talking to your mother like that,
not just because shes your mom,
that woman there,
is the woman i love."
3) dad never really "talks" to me.
his ideas gets carried through mom.
i never dress really feminine (as those of you who know)
but i never really cared what other thinks of what i wear either.
so theres the little clash.
when its hot in hong kong, i don't really care if my shorts are just a lil too short,
or my skirt is just a lil too showy
i just wear it.
same with tank tops that might be a lil too low.
now apparently, dad gets worried.
but he never said anything.
i walk out the door in those clothes and hes sitting in the living room like nothing passed him by.
but one day mom said
"you know dad doesn't like you in clothes too sexy, yeh?"
"no! i don't know!"
and thats cute.
4) Dad in his workplace.
there wasn't "bring your daughter/son to work day" when i was growing up
but i visited dad's office quite a bit.
every girl in the cubicles get excited to see me
i never knew why
but they always do the same thing to me over and over again
they put a strand of my hair over the top of my lips and laugh.
"hahahahaha, you look just like your dad!"
(yes my dad has his signature moustache)
and then after being played with (more like laughed at)
i go in my dad's office room.
a desk, a computer, shelves...
completely nothing special really (well my dad is special haha)
and one day, i don't remember why
he asked if i wanted to look inside his shelves.
seeing all those heavy thick binder files on the top of the shelves
i didn't really want to.
but he showed me anyways
and...
thank god.
behind those sad looking doors on the shelves,
are countless
yes countless
neatly aligned
comic books.
and there you have it,
the best dad.
5) my dad is young at heart.
my dads a gamer (back in the days when nintendo and sega saturn roamed the world)
my dads a comic book freak (he still is)
my dad likes good music (yes, great music. earth, wind and fire, the cardigans (or was that mom?), that band with the crazy guitarist that i have failed to recall the name of, utada hikaru (thats how i got to know her, my DAD introduced it to me...), all these canto bands that i have never heard of... like the recent C All star... countless music that amazes me, amazes him.)
my dad likes to cook, like JAMIE OLIVER.
those were great times, watching mr. big tongue (what my parents call him)'s cooking show, dad getting very excited with his hands-on approach to everything (whilst mom displays an "ew" look on her face).
see, mom is a neat freak. very tidy. very sensitive about her kitchen.
dad wanted to do that other stuff.
but since dad loves mom so much, he obeys those household rules.
but he still never failed to amaze me with the food he makes.
normal spaghetti with not so normal sausages that taste like you just shoved a whole herb patch into your mouth.
normal looking sandwich with that not so normal filling in the middle.
normal looking hotdog with that not so normal crunch to the baguette.
the most memorable thing dad made me (and only happened once)
were those either roasted or oven-ed or something special slices of potato with bacon (i think) for my 18th birthday when i had a whole crew over at my place barbequing.
it was de-li-cious.
i cooked for dad too.
i made him mid night stir fry instant noodles.
i made him rice crispy (that he loved)
i also made him beef slices rolled with green onions and those long white mushrooms
i remember he liked that too.
but it was hard to tell,
because he eats anything with appreciation anyways. :]
so as i've said,
its hard being a dad.
a cool dad.
a proper dad.
a fun dad.
i've seen a lot of "dads"
my ex bf's dads
my student's dads
my friend's dads...
to be honest with you
i really disliked most of them
since most of the dads were so...
full of themselves.
its true you guys earn the bucks
take cares of the family
do the hard work
but to be honest
how many of you also take those you have around for granted too?
some dads teach their children to be polite
some dads teach their children knowledge from books
some dads teach their children to strive for what they want in life
some dad don't teach their children anything
whereas my dad:
teaches me the techniques to being polite, shows me the results of not being polite under a circumstance that needed the politeness, comforts me if i failed to be polite to someone i dislike, and teaches me how to think about being polite to others really mean.
teaches me knowledge that aren't from the books, and admits that those from the books are sometimes too hard for him too.
teaches me by showing me himself, what striving really means. what striving really is, and what effects that has on the people around you and yourself. and never complains when he decides to strive for it, ever.
teaches me he isn't the source of everything, that its really up to me to go and learn, and i can also teach him stuff too.
quoted from an ex bf
he once said
"if anybody really talks to your dad,
they'll respect him."
why the heck would anybody want a dad otherwise?
one that only supports, only encourages, only fights for you
regardless of the circumstances?
im glad i was never fostered in a greenhouse
nor was beaten up with strict rules at home.
now that,
is the best dad,
anybody can ever have.
PS. my dad is the type of person who'd give out 90/100 even though you've already done a great job.
the type that'd say "its ok" when everyone thinks that deserves a "great"
i have always been frustrated by it.
but when my dad commented on my note and said its a great article
i know i've exceeded the term "excellent".
and that feels SOOO good.
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