Story Dear Father | a story in letters

[Andei]

I.​

Dear Father,

I had that leftover croissant for breakfast today. I left it out on the counter for like, nearly the whole day yesterday because I was waiting for it to cool down and have it as a snack later but I totally forgot about it. I put it in the fridge overnight and it was tough as old boot leather even after I took it out of the microwave, but after what that poor croissant’s been through, I guess that’s pretty understandable.​

​

But you know what, it was actually really nice, especially with the coffee from the new machine. I think they were going for a kind of yin-yang symbol look with the latte art, but it ended up looking a bit like a baby shark eating its twin in the womb. I tried not to think about that too much because the leather-croissant-shark-fratricide-latte combo tasted pretty good and I didn’t want to ruin that moment. Thanks for that moment - and the croissant, and the coffee. It was a good way to start my morning.​

​

Oh, I opened the curtains to my bedroom window this morning. Well, that is to say, I had them open from yesterday when I wasn’t getting enough light for a video call and forgot to draw them before I went to bed. So I woke up to see the view from my window at 7am for the first time in ages.​

​

There was this light mist covering the houses in the distance, a blanket of boiler steam as people were having their showers and getting ready and just trying not to be freezing cold. The sun was just coming into sight somewhere and the sky was peach and blue and pink and tangerine and beautiful, with a single white trail left behind by the inbound flight from Doha (or it might have been Singapore, I literally have no clue).​

​

Anyway, you know I’m not a morning person, but thanks for waking me up this morning, and for letting me wake up to the mist and and steam and houses and sunrise and sky and the flight from maybe Doha. I really appreciated it.​

​

Just wanted to let you know.​

Love,
Your son.​

 

[Andei]

II.​

Dear Father,

Thought you should know that I had a slight panic this morning because of you. I saw some smoke coming off a chair in the garden and thought it had caught fire in the sun. Then I realised was just really that cold last night that the sun was causing the ice on the chair to literally start steaming. Anyway, I hope you're pleased with yourself because I almost snorted out the cereal I was eating.​

​

But after I got over myself and wiped my nose and stuff, I kept watching the steam kind of coiling off the surface of the wood, looking lazy as anything and I was reminded of the one of two cool moments years ago back in Chemistry - you remember, that time with the liquid nitrogen? It made me think of that, with the way you could just see the frost quietly wisp away against the sunlight. I guess even with the whole cereal-snorting thing and making me freak out that the garden was burning down, I have to hand it to you - the liquid nitrogen chair was pretty cool.​

​

Speaking of weird things that happen in the cold, I'm actually going to be playing football today. Yeah, this guy. I don't think I've stepped onto a pitch since, I don't know, graduation, maybe? Wow. That is a really long time ago. But yeah, we're getting some guys together to play and even though I can't remember the last time I played football (it might have been erased from my memory by trauma or blood loss or something) I'm actually kind of looking forward to it.​

​

One of my friends who lives locally - you remember, you met him a few years back? - is playing too and the two of us are hoping we might be able to bring the others round after. And it'd be great if, you know, you could be there too and help us out, come meet up with some of the guys turning up to play. I think a few of them might've bumped into you at some point, but I'd really love it if they could get to know you properly. If anything, I'm going to need a lot of your help today.​

​

Have to admit, for a second there, I did entertain the thought of you joining in, but you'd probably thrash the lot of us so that's probably not so great an idea.​

​

Thanks again for the freaky ice chair, and see you at the game.​

Love,
Your son.​