“Mitch, come down. Dinner is ready. Your father is waiting at the table.” I heard my mother calling as I put on my high-heeled shoes. I grabbed my shoulder bag lying on my bed and hurried downstairs.

“Why are you dressed up?” My father who is suffering from rheumatic heart asked weakly. “I don’t remember you asking permission to go somewhere?” my mother said.

“Ah! I am going to a party. I just can’t say no to Alice. It’s her birthday today. But… did I not ask permission from you, Ma?”“Oh no, not yet.” she answered. I begged and begged and begged until she agreed.

“But why don’t you have dinner with us first? If I am not mistaken, this is you favorite food, tinola?” my father asked, coughing in between.“Oh Pa, you know that I don’t’ always like to be late. I’m afraid Charles and Yssa will come any minute now, and I don’t want them to see that I’m not yet ready.” I answered. “Besides, I think there are foods much better than tinola at the party!” I added thoughtlessly. I saw my father bowed his head and all of a sudden, I felt guilty because I should not have said that in the first place.

Loud honks of a car were heard outside. I kissed my father and my mother. But still my father did not show any emotion and I know that he was hurt by the things I have said to him. I waved goodbye to them and off we went.

When we reached the three-storey house of Alice, there were many visitors and food was served on long tables.

We danced and danced, Charles, Yssa and my friends. We ate delicious foods. Oh! What a wonderful night we had. At about ten o’clock in the evening, a wave of cool air passed in front of me. My hands trembled, my heart beat faster, and I felt cold.

Suddenly, I saw my father at the big gate as if waiting for someone – that was surely me because he was smiling at me. I looked at everyone but I think no one seemed to notice the presence of my father. I ran to where he stood and asked, “Why are you here Papa? Isn’t it bad for you to drive long distances?”

He just smiled at me and said, “I love you Mitch, my only child.”I ignored what he said. “Papa, please go home. I will follow you afterwards and I am sure that Mama is waiting for you already.”

“I will go ahead Mitch, goodbye and I love you.” He answered.

I turned back and looked for Charles and Yssa in the crowd for I felt a sudden urge to go home. When I found them, I told them that I wanted to go home and if we drove fast, we could catch up with Papa. We bade goodbye to Alice, then we went home. I was wondering why we never saw the car of Papa. I asked myself why. I knew he drives slowly and carefully.

When we reached home, no sound was heard; nobody was in the house. I shouted but nobody answered me. One of my neighbors came rushing. “Thank God, Mitch, you’re back. Your father was rushed to the hospital. He had a heart attack.

When I heard this, I hurried into the car and asked Charles to come with me to the hospital. When we reached the hospital, I saw my mother crying in a corner. When she saw me, we hugged each other. “Your father is gone. He was rushed here after supper.” She said.

We cried together. “Papa, why did you leave us? Why?”

I asked myself secretly why Papa came to the party, why no one noticed him, why he said he’ll go ahead, why did he say goodbye?

Questions! These are questions that need to be answered. But no one could answer them.

That was my father’s sad goodbye.