02-16-2008, 03:06 PM
After posting the article about, "Kids Sue Father" I came across this article in our newspaper. Even though it is fiction, I kind of like the outcome of this story better than in the, "Kids Sue Father."
Strange Man In Stephie’s Home
“He’s been in the shower for half an hour. There’s no hot water left!”
Stephie’s roommate stomps into the kitchen where Stephie is setting the table for breakfast.
“This whole house smells like a locker room since he moved in. Bengay muscle cream, sweaty socks and that cheap coconut shampoo. I don’t get why a 50-year-old man with no job, no home and no car has to live in our basement. That wasn’t the deal when we rented this house together.”
Stephie pours coffee into three mugs.
“He won’t be here long,” she says. “Once I find out what I need to know, I’m going to kick him out.”
Two days ago Stephie located Denny Coleman living on social assistance in a hotel in another city. She brought him home like a stray puppy. Stephie works long hours, and since then they’ve hardly talked.
As soon as her roommate is out the door, Stephanie calls her boss at the software company.
“I’ve got some family issues to deal with. Get one of the other managers to lead the team meeting today.”
She stands beside the kitchen table and stares down at Denny. Tick grey hair too long over the dears. Gentle blue eyes. Brown age spots on his deeply lined forehead. A persistent cough. One cracked front tooth. Faded blue baseball jacket.
Denny looks up and smiles.
“Thanks for asking me to stay here. I know your roommate doesn’t like me.”
“Why do you think I brought you here?” she asks sharply.
Denny’s head drops. He doesn’t answer.
Stephie’s eyes flash. “I’ve got to know why you chose baseball over me.”
Denny gets a faraway look. “I was an all-star for five seasons. Threw the ball faster than anyone else in the league, and my change-up was deadly when I needed it.”
“And all the time you were enjoying all that money and glory, I had to grow up without a father.”
Denny slides his chair back and turns his head away.
“In a weak moment, I cheated on your mother. After that, she destroyed me. In the divorce, she got the house and most of the money. My career was almost over. I never made much after that.”
“What did you do?”
Denny shrugs. “Once the cheering stopped, I didn’t know what to do.”
“Didn’t you work?”
“My last job was a 10-hour nightshift, hosing down the floor at a meat-packing plant. That was two years ago.”
Her voice quavers. “That doesn’t explain why I had to grow up without a father. I hate you for not being there for my birthdays. I hate you for not being there to grill the boys that dated me. I hate you for being the hero that everybody else thought was so amazing.”
Denny gets up. His voice is firm.
“I tried a thousand times to come back and be your father. Your mother wouldn’t let me. She promised when she threw me out that she would make you hate me. For the first couple of years, I sent Christmas and birthday presents, cards and letters, but she always sent them back. By that time, the wall was too high. I just gave up.”
Stephie is yelling now. “Do you know what it was like to walk across the stage and get my diploma without a father in the audience?!”
Denny starts toward the basement door.
“I’ll get my stuff and go.”
He pauses at the top of the stairs and looks back.
“They called your name right after Robby Gallenberger. The president shook your hand longer than anyone else’s. I was watching the ceremony from the side door of the auditorium.”
Stephie runs to her father.”
This was in February 16, 2008, The Abbotsford and Mission News and is written by Allen Unrau who writes fictional stories about real-life issues.
Strange Man In Stephie’s Home
“He’s been in the shower for half an hour. There’s no hot water left!”
Stephie’s roommate stomps into the kitchen where Stephie is setting the table for breakfast.
“This whole house smells like a locker room since he moved in. Bengay muscle cream, sweaty socks and that cheap coconut shampoo. I don’t get why a 50-year-old man with no job, no home and no car has to live in our basement. That wasn’t the deal when we rented this house together.”
Stephie pours coffee into three mugs.
“He won’t be here long,” she says. “Once I find out what I need to know, I’m going to kick him out.”
Two days ago Stephie located Denny Coleman living on social assistance in a hotel in another city. She brought him home like a stray puppy. Stephie works long hours, and since then they’ve hardly talked.
As soon as her roommate is out the door, Stephanie calls her boss at the software company.
“I’ve got some family issues to deal with. Get one of the other managers to lead the team meeting today.”
She stands beside the kitchen table and stares down at Denny. Tick grey hair too long over the dears. Gentle blue eyes. Brown age spots on his deeply lined forehead. A persistent cough. One cracked front tooth. Faded blue baseball jacket.
Denny looks up and smiles.
“Thanks for asking me to stay here. I know your roommate doesn’t like me.”
“Why do you think I brought you here?” she asks sharply.
Denny’s head drops. He doesn’t answer.
Stephie’s eyes flash. “I’ve got to know why you chose baseball over me.”
Denny gets a faraway look. “I was an all-star for five seasons. Threw the ball faster than anyone else in the league, and my change-up was deadly when I needed it.”
“And all the time you were enjoying all that money and glory, I had to grow up without a father.”
Denny slides his chair back and turns his head away.
“In a weak moment, I cheated on your mother. After that, she destroyed me. In the divorce, she got the house and most of the money. My career was almost over. I never made much after that.”
“What did you do?”
Denny shrugs. “Once the cheering stopped, I didn’t know what to do.”
“Didn’t you work?”
“My last job was a 10-hour nightshift, hosing down the floor at a meat-packing plant. That was two years ago.”
Her voice quavers. “That doesn’t explain why I had to grow up without a father. I hate you for not being there for my birthdays. I hate you for not being there to grill the boys that dated me. I hate you for being the hero that everybody else thought was so amazing.”
Denny gets up. His voice is firm.
“I tried a thousand times to come back and be your father. Your mother wouldn’t let me. She promised when she threw me out that she would make you hate me. For the first couple of years, I sent Christmas and birthday presents, cards and letters, but she always sent them back. By that time, the wall was too high. I just gave up.”
Stephie is yelling now. “Do you know what it was like to walk across the stage and get my diploma without a father in the audience?!”
Denny starts toward the basement door.
“I’ll get my stuff and go.”
He pauses at the top of the stairs and looks back.
“They called your name right after Robby Gallenberger. The president shook your hand longer than anyone else’s. I was watching the ceremony from the side door of the auditorium.”
Stephie runs to her father.”
This was in February 16, 2008, The Abbotsford and Mission News and is written by Allen Unrau who writes fictional stories about real-life issues.