When I was really young, our father took off for some unknown destination… My Mom must have seen it coming, because she didn’t seem bothered about it.
Instead, she took over sole parent duties, plus life went on essentially the same.
It wasn’t until years later, when I was graduating from university, that I heard from the man again! He easily sent me a card with money in it, telling me how proud he was of me. It turns out he had run off to a community of artisans to make handmade furniture with his secret boyfriend, who was now his actual partner. He decided to invite me up to visit them, plus see the studio where he made his custom built furniture. It was a rather weird experience, although I am ecstatic I went. I am glad mostly because I came away with some of the most awesome wooden furniture you will ever see! At least I can see if my father ran away for a silly reason. He did it better than anyone else could have, because his handmade furniture was selling in local galleries for thousands of dollars, not hundreds, however thousands, all for charming wooden tables, chairs, plus bedroom sets! What was actually rustic, traditional woodwork had been elevated, plus now was considered quality furniture. Making this custom built furniture was a pressing part of the life my father felt he needed to live. I don’t really believe him giving me a lot of handmade wooden furniture earns my forgiveness, however the two of us are experiencing an okay start.