Today was the worst birthday in the history of birthdays. I turned 10 today, finally hitting the double digits. I’m supposed to be a man today, but I still feel like a boy. I’m still short. I still have shaggy brown hair that feels like straw, and I still have the same baby blue eyes that sparkle in the sunlight. But that’s only half of why today was so bad.
My father got taken away from me today. I don’t know why. The last thing I remember was him giving me a huge bear hug, you know, the ones that are so tight that your eyeballs pop out? Then he whispered in my ear something I never thought I would hear from him.
“I love you son.”
“I love you too, dad.” At that moment I gave him a big squeeze, buried my face in his warm shirt and cried, actually cried. Who cares if I was crying? I was happy.
Today was going to be the best day ever but my whole world flipped before it had the chance to be. How could this happen? Why me? Why my dad? Why on my birthday?
I jumped at the sound of a strong hand, knocking on my front door. Could it be him? I ran to the door in a flash, hoping to find my father. Wanting to hear the words, “I’m home son,” ring through my ears. My face fell when I saw who it was. It was only Daniel Shays, our neighbor and my dad’s best friend. They served in the army together and became farmers together. Even helped each other raise a family. He is like my second father. Even though I really like Daniel, he really wasn’t the person that I was hoping to see.
“Hey champ.”
“Hey, Daniel.” I studied his face. His once strong eyes are now blood red and full of sorrow and pain. I could see a river of tears running down his face into a puddle on his shirt. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s hard champ. It’s really hard to see your best friend go to jail.”
“I know how you feel. Do you want to come inside?” Daniel nodded slowly, looking at the floor.
“Hey champ, can I have a hug?” I turned to look at Daniel. I could tell it was taking a lot to not break down in front of me.
I nodded, arms stretched open wide. Daniel came forward and filled up that empty space that craved for my father, and we both started to cry.
When we finally pulled ourselves together I looked into Daniel’s eyes. What I saw surprised me. I didn’t see eyes full of sadness and pain. I saw eyes that were full of hope, anger and desire. I could have sworn that, for a moment, I saw fire. A fire so hot that it turned blue. I know that Daniel was a great soldier once but I never really got to see that side of him. It made me kind of jittery and uneasy, with a cold sweat forming on my forehead.
“I am going to get your father out of jail, along with my other friends.”
“How are you going to do that?” I asked, not believing a single word I was hearing.
“Honestly champ, I have no idea but I will find a way. I promise on my heart and soul.” I just stood there while he left. I didn’t even say good-bye. How could I? The thought of having my father back made me freeze. What would I do when I saw him? What would I say? Is it even possible? I wanted so badly to believe that it was.
Right then and there, I took a leap of faith. I was going to get my father back and I needed to soon.
I ran for the front door and threw it open so hard that it put a hole in the wall where the doorknob hit it. I searched and searched and finally found what I was looking for. He was almost all the way up the driveway.
“Daniel, wait!” I charged up the driveway as fast as my legs would carry me, my heart beating faster and faster, and my blood pumping harder with each step. I was determined.
“What’s up champ?”
“I want to help you get my father back.”
“No, you can’t. You might get hurt, or worse. Get thrown in jail.”
“Don’t tell me what to do Daniel! I had my tenth birthday today and I am a man now! You may not think so but I am and I’m going to help him get out, with or without you!” I was going to get what I wanted.
“If that is how you feel, then I guess I can’t stop you,” a stupid grin spread across my flushed face, “Welcome aboard.”
And with that, we left, headed up the driveway, two men, about to change our world, and at that moment, that was all that mattered.
