For My Father By: Chance O’Malley
Three times before, I’d ignored the familiar ring
Recorded the last time I saw my father
Warm and hardy, his laugh sang at me as I left my class to answer his call
Too late, I missed it
Each message on my voicemail made me laugh
Until
The last one, was not him, but instead an old friend
So sorry, it said, so sorry to say there has been an accident
An accident, she said…call her as soon as possible
My stomach dropped
I dialed slowly and deliberately
“Hello.”
“Hello, Chance…”
Everything blurred…my world was changed forever
My father was gone…
Do they know what they did
Do they know how they changed my life
My world
Do they know that you were my balance
Without her—my mother—you were all I had
I know it was an accident
But, I still blame them
I blame them for everything
My loneliness
My hurt
My sadness
My loss
I still wake thinking I hear your voice
But, then I realize it is an echo
A dream
But, I don’t know when they will stop
Night or day, they haunt me
What are you trying to tell me
What am I supposed to do
Wait, what did you say…
@AngelaKayAustin
