when my wife left, my son <br />would test me with small misbehaviors, <br />like the time he tilted his glass of water <br />far too much over the kitchen table. <br />don't do that, I said, you'll spill it, <br />and he tilted it further. <br />patiently, I said again, don't do that <br />and he tilted it further. <br />swearing to be patient, I told him again, <br />don't do that, it'll spill <br />and he tipped it over, flooding <br />the table and the floor. <br />so I yelled, I told you not to spill that <br />and he ran to me, crying, <br />saying let's make up, let's make up. <br /> <br />a little later, she took him <br />and wouldn't let me see him. <br />after six months, I saw him again <br />and I didn't recognize the kid <br />who went to sleep when I told him to, <br />cleaned his room without being told, <br />listened to anything I said, <br />but pulled away his body when I hugged him. <br />this didn't stop until I took him to the movies <br />to see snow white and he sat like an angel <br />and didn't ask for popcorn <br />and watched quietly until the scary part. <br />(I had forgotten there was a scary part.) <br />he jumped into my lap, <br />hid his face in my chest <br />and said hold me daddy, I'm scared. <br /> <br />and after that, he asked for popcorn <br />and soda and candy until I said no <br />and he pouted. <br />and he didn't clean his room <br />and objected to his bedtime <br />and talked back and made wise-ass jokes <br />and made fun of me when I got mad. <br /> <br />he said I asked my mommy every day <br />when can I see my daddy, <br />when will I talk to my daddy, <br />and she told me, your daddy doesn't care about you, <br />he doesn't love you and he doesn't want to see you, <br />but daddy, <br /> <br />I always knew you loved me.<br /><br />Jesse Weiner<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-my-wife-left/
