Little Happiness

Letter 2 - Dance With My Father

"If I could get another chance, another walk,

Another dance with him,

I'd play a song that would never ever end.

How I'd love, love, love,

To dance with my father again."

Dance With My Father, Jessica Sanchez

Back in kindergarten, our teacher showed us a film. It was called Betamax back then, and our teacher inserted a rectangular shaped thing, called a tape, into the Betamax and the room's lights were dimmed. Cave, mining, small people, singing. I looked at my father as I shared with him the movie we had watched.

He smiled.

After days, my father called me to the TV. He happily put a tape in our Betamax and adjusted the settings to improve quality of the video. I looked at the TV and waited, "This was it, right?" he happily asked me as the film played.

I smiled. Indeed, it was it. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

My father, Jesus, was a jolly and mischievous man. He would pull pranks on me, he would tickle me. He was also known as a kindhearted person. I heard stories of how he helped people back then, or how generous and understanding he was towards them.

He would buy me books whenever they passed by a bookstore. I could recall that it was called Goodwill Bookstore. I was happy and contented as a kid. Reading books and drawing Snow White made me really happy. I really felt that he loved me, but I also felt how strict he was when it came to studies.

One time, he just came upstairs and saw me watching TV with my notebooks and books scattered beside me. "Are you done reviewing?" He asked me in a very strict voice. I shook my head and moped. He took the remote control and switched the TV off. "I'll just go get our hanged clothes, and when I come back, I want those memorized already."

It was an order, I feared him. He's the type to hit me with a hanger or a belt if I didn't follow him. So I went off reviewing. I memorized everything as quickly as I could because I didn't want to get hit. What's funny was, while I was reviewing, I realized the pressure and fear I had for him. I was scared enough to get hit and get scolded at, so I hurriedly reviewed and memorized everything.

He did come back, but he didn't talk to me... yet. He first folded our clothes and put them in the drawers. After doing so, he checked if I did review. He asked me the questions verbally, with him holding my notebooks, looking at me. He looked strict, but then, a smile was formed. All he wanted was for me to pass my tests, and there I was, watching TV to my heart's extent.

He also looked after me when I'm sick. The usual sickness a kid would get, tonsillitis, with fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite. I would normally stay in bed, try to sleep or watch TV when I didn't feel well. Once, I was just watching TV when I saw him standing beside our big cabinet. "I placed them here so you'd feel better." He was all smiles as I looked at him.

He placed my favorite figurines and displays on the cabinet where I could see them, his thinking was, seeing them would make me feel better. He placed Snow White, Popeye, and I couldn't remember the rest, on the cabinet, as if they were watching over me. Funny. I didn't know what was running in my father's mind, but I knew he meant good, that his only intention was to make me smile and feel better.

He was there for me, whenever I felt bad or sick, or even when I was in trouble. Even if I hid something from him, I would end up getting... caught. "Why are you walking like that?!" He angrily yelled at me.