Growing Up

“It’s probably too late, but at least we can try,”said the vet, Dr. Teo, as he shook his head sadly. My father looked at me, his looks were not kind at all. I swallowed more in shame than in fear. I realised that it was my fault. Lion, my pet dog, had been ill for a week. My father told me to take him to the vet three days ago. I had thought that Lion was all right. Sure he had slowed down a little, but he did not look that sick. I had postponed it to the next day, yesterday and then today. Earlier that morning my father had seen Lion looking sick and then grabbed him, put him in his car and driven him to the vet. I had followed by taxi.

I looked again at my father and saw him looking intently out the window. He was in his saddest and angriest mood. I had never seen him so angry before. I could see that any attempt at explanation would only mean a scolding or perhaps even a slap across my face. My father did not believe in spoiling us and used his hands and the cane freely. However, he was always fair and never beat us without reason. A cold desire came over me: I realised that it was all my fault. I felt sorry for poor Lion, I blamed myself terribly. I thought strongly that perhaps I should provoke my father into hitting me.I actually wanted to be punished for what I had done.I felt that that would make me feel better. I stopped myself in the nick of time and decided that the best place for such a spectacle was home, and not at a vet’s clinic in front of strangers.

The vet brought Lion out soon enough and explained that he was all right. I breathed a sigh of relief and heard my father do the same. I reached out and carried Lion and hugged him close to my breast and began to walk. My father paid the bill and followed,We went home in silence. I realised that I had nearly caused the death of someone I loved very much, all because of my lack of a sense of responsibility. Once home I decided to take my punishment like a man. I put Lion in his basket and then went to my father’s room and fetched the cane. I came back to him in the hall,handed the cane to him and stood with head bowed in complete supplication. He looked surprised as he looked at the cane in his hand and then at me. Then he threw it aside, stood up and held me in a bear hug.

“My son has grown up today,” he whispered.”Taking responsibility is the first sign of being an adult.”When he walked away, I could see the tears brimming in his eyes. Mine flowed freely as I realised that in spite of all that external hardness my father loved me deeply.

Word count:503

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