The Age Of Absent Fathers

My biological father was a bit absent when I was a child (and not in the picture at all from my mid-teenage years, but that’s a different story) and therefore, he did not spend as much time with us as my older brother and I would have liked. This meant he was sometimes a bit oblivious about things regarding my brother and me, which we, of course, found a bit distressing.

We were visiting a zoo, and the following conversation took place at the entrance. It’s worth noting that it was free admission for children younger than four. I was five at the time.

Entrance Host: “And how many tickets would you like?”

Father: “One grown-up and one child. My youngest is only three.”

I was a bit annoyed at my father for forgetting such an important thing as my age.

Me: “But Dad! You’re forgetting that I’m five years old!”

The entrance host shared a look with my dad, who paid for my ticket, as well, without another word.

It was only when I got older that I realised that my age was probably NOT one of the things he was oblivious to.