I promised you the story of my dad not showing up, so here goes....we all know that my father got the letter, he mailed me back a card with a weak response and we have not had to talk since, because, one, I didn't know what to do next and two, he thought he rectified everything with his little card. So, he has been tested twice since the letter and he has failed both tests with flying colors. First, the Christmas program. I didn't necessarily invite him, but I did invite my sister, who spread the word. The reason I didn't invite him directly is because he never comes to anything my children are involved in, so why ask.
First Test
Well, apparently, my sister had to beg him to come. She said, "Dad, you really should go."
He said, "No, I'm too tired."
She says, "Dad, c'mon, you have been off of work for two days. It will only last like 30 minutes. You really should go."
He still says, "No."
Imagine my surprise when my stepmother and my other sister come. I was only expecting Erin. Erin did not come, she had another obligation. My stepmother never comes to these things either, so I was surprised, pleasantly, but still thought in the back of my head, "Hmmmph, of course he is not going to come." I was still looking for him though.
GRADE: F++ (He was begged to come, but refused)
Second Test
My car broke down, on a dirt back road, my husband was two-and-a-half hours away. It was raining, cold, windy and sleeting. I was alone. I called my sister to come and get me and drive me to my house where I could wait for someone else to come and get me.
She says, "You want me to get dad? Because he is right here and he might could fix it."
Me, "Uh...no. Just come get me."
Sis, "Are you sure, cause he is right here. I can wake him up. He fixed my serpentine belt before, so maybe he can fix yours."
Me, "Yeah, I'm definitely sure. Just come get me."
Sis, "No, I am going to wake him up. Hold on."
She puts the phone down immediately and I could not protest. Dad picks up the phone and I explain what has happened. He tells me I need to have it towed to a garage. Yeah, no kidding? I had no idea that was the next step. I explain that I know that and I have free towing, but I need the number to a garage locally becuase I don't have a phone book in the car. He tells me he will call me back. Meanwhile, I talk to my husband and we decide to have the car towed to our house because we have to pay for Christmas that next week and I can just drive the other car until after Christmas, which by the way, it has no heat, but hey, you have to sacrifice sometimes for your babies. Dad calls me back and says, "The tow truck is on the way."
Me, "Nooooo, I already told you I have free towing. I don't want to pay for a tow truck when I don't have to."
Dad, "Well, this is the guy who is going to fix it."
Me, "Nooooo, we aren't going to fix it until after Christmas because we can't afford to fix it right now because we have to pay for the kid's Christmas next week."
Dad replies in an aggravated voice, "What?! You're just going to leave it in your driveway until after Christmas?!!!!"
Me, "Uh...yeah? That is what us poor folk have to do sometimes. We can't afford to fix it this week and buy Christmas for the kids next week. What else am I supposed to do?"
Dad in a disgusted voice, "Alright, let me call him back then." Click....(He hung up on me, obviously because he was pissed that he had gone through what he did to get me a tow truck, you know, like making a telephone call)
So, I wait, for my sister and for my free tow. We tow the car to my house and then my sister takes me to my in-laws house where my daughter is staying. We have a long talk on the way about this and that and then she says something that made me ask, "So, did you know I sent a letter to dad?"
She says, "Yeah, I read it."
Me, "See, I told him not to bring you into it."
She says, "He didn't really, I found it, but I didn't read all of it."
Me, "Well, he shouldn't have left it out, that is still involving you. So, did you know he sent me a card?"
She says, "Yeah, he told me."
Me, "See, I told him not to involve you. He didn't have to tell you that."
So, he did involve them after I specifically told him not to. It's in the letter, go back and read it if you missed it. If it were my sister stranded, he would have come and gotten her, he would have looked at the car for her, he would have fixed the car or paid for it to be fixed. He could have at least offered to pay for it to be fixed and let me pay him back after Christmas, but he did not even offer. He could have offered me one of his five cars, all with heat, to borrow for the two weeks until the boys got out of school, but he didn't even do that. So, for the next two weeks, me and my three children rode to and from school in a very cold car, during the coldest weeks we have had yet this winter. One day, the inside of the windshield was even frozen in the Blazer. The defrost does not work, because there is no heat, so, we were extremely late that day. My blessed 75-year-old grandmother came and drove us the last three days of school last week. She was not asked, she just offered out of nowhere. We gladly accepted.
My husband and stepfather finally fixed the car this weekend, which cost a total of $60.00 in the end, and I am so grateful. We have had the Blazer looked at to see how much to fix the heat and it will cost us a whopping $400.00 for a heating core. That will definitely have to wait until after Christmas. So, a big thank you to the ones who really care, Memaw, Pappy and Pepaw.
Final Grade: F+++++ (For being a total jerk in my time of need)
