Guess Who

Today I got a call from my dad. First time he has tried to contact me since August. In August, I got a letter from him saying he was in Colorado. That was it. No why or anything. Just "I am in Colorado."

And then today, I get a call from a number I don't recognize. When they called back from my call back, it was Paul. He needed a ride from Fort Worth to the YMCA in North Central Arlington. It was like hearing from a ghost. I put... I had tried to put him behind me. And then all of a sudden, he's back. Again. I didn't want to take him. My mom was in the car with me, and I definitely did not want to be in the car with both of them. However, my mom said let's go. So we went.

We drove through part of the worst part of Fort Worth/ Arlington. There were lots of homeless people. However, my mom and I both recognized my Dad the instant he came into view. He was surprisingly dressed up. He had claimed on the phone that he had gone to the court house to be put in jail, but that they were closed. I'll never know if that's true so I don't worry about it.

I then drove in the car for 20 minutes with my parents who have been divorced 20 years and my father who is an alcoholic. He didn't seem like he had been drinking when he got in the car. He is especially chatty when he drinks, and he was rather calm. Didn't say much. Though my mom hardly let either one of us say a word. She just kept trying to fill the silence with blabber. None of it meant anything. Some of it not even true.

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Like I couldn't catch my breath. All I could think is "man I wish the elliotts were here". But they weren't.

I might go to Baylor to stay close to my good friends. The idea of having my own apartment in Waco is actually not so bad. I like the idea of having the Elliott family over for dinner and having cool parties with Jennifer Atwood and others. I also like the idea that Baylor will offer me more money because of my scores on the GRE. Virginia Tech won't.