Everything was supposed to go the way my mom planned it. My mom, standing about 5 feet with long, curly black hair, planned have been planning for Christmas for at least a month. It was during Christmas of 2007 and my dad, an average middle age man, used to work until his fingers broke off but due to some issues with his physical abilities, he no longer works. I and my older brother, who was at the time 11-years-old and chubby, never understood why our dad does not work anymore. I was curious to know one day, he just calmly explained that he’ll tell me another time.

It was Christmas morning and as a little kid I had no worries, no responsibilities, and most of all no school because of winter break. I and my older brother woke up around 6:00 a.m. and I and my brother ran swiftly downstairs to the decorated Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was decorated with ornaments: candy canes, red, orange, blue, yellow, green lights, and a star at the top of the tree. Once we seen the presents piled under the tree, we immediately began unraveling them one by one. As a child I was spoiled by my parents on Christmas and always wanted what I asked for. This year I received everything that I suspected but I was missing one present I thought was grantee to be there that year and it was my dad.

“Mama, where is dad at?” I stated in confusion.
“I don’t know, I’m wondering the same thing.”
“But I thought he was already here, he was here last night.”
“Don’t worry, he’ll be back.”

I could tell that see was not in good mood when she answered my questions. I continued to open my presents with the thought of where my dad could be at in the back of head. 

Around 5:00 p.m., my father entered the door but he was no one I was familiar with. His eyes, breathe, movement, facial expressions were those of a drunken man. I knew by the sound of my mom and brother’s footsteps coming down the stairs coming down the stairs as soon as the door slammed closed, I knew this would be day not to forget. My mom was enraged to see the conditions my dad was in and not being home during most of Christmas. I and my brother disperse into the living room into the kitchen and started having our own conversation.

“What do you think is going to happen to dad?” I said to my brother.
“I don’t know but you know nothing comes up good when they are arguing.”
“I don’t understand why he would get drunk out of all the days like today?” I said with my mind baffled.
“He probably does it because he thinks it’s funny.”

I and my brother always had different views and interpretations on the questions we asked each other. Feet stomping, voices yelling, my mom and dad are constantly arguing until my mom had enough and told my dad to get out. I and my brother rushed into the kitchen after hearing those words and pleaded with our mom to not let it happen. Through the sorrow of our voices and the sadness of our faces, my mom was more than convince to change her decision. This still didn’t change the fact of the anger she felt towards dad.

At the night, tension between my mom and dad settled down and I began to rethink about the moments that happened in the argument. My dad came into my room sobered up after a while and asked if I was alright. I didn’t know how to answer him after what I just heard an argument as intense between my mom and dad, so I gave him the casual answer yes. Before he could ask me another question, I asked him,

“Why weren’t you here during the morning?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it right now but I didn’t mean to hurt y’all.” I said.
As the conversation between my dad and me, I could tell by the tone of his voice that he felt remorse for his actions today. When the conversation between us wrapped up, the last words he said to me before I went to be was,
“I love you and your brother, and your mother. Y’all are the best present I could ever as for.”
Through those words, I understand the truth behind what he said that day. Even though I received the gifts I wanted for Christmas, I blindly received a gift to never forget and to appreciate the fact that I had a dad I can come home every day and appreciate the things he do for me.