Death in the Family

It makes me scared when my father doesn’t wear a mask, I mean he does sometimes, but not always, not a lot. I don’t know, it just makes me nervous, said Trish, her voice sounding young adult, maybe high school.

Yes, thanks for saying that, said Tom, you know, when I was younger I was too busy thinking about myself to worry about my parents, so I think that’s nice caring about your father that way.

Trouble is it’s hard getting him to do what you want, right?

Yes, she said.

Have you ever told him what you just said here, that it makes you nervous?

Not really.

I don’t think people are very good, no, let me say it, like, I’m not very good at doing things people tell me to do, or even ask me to do nicely. But sometimes when they say something’s being hard on them, I can figure out on my own, like, oh, I should stop, you know? Maybe it would be that way with your father.

Tom asked Ryan, if he had anything to add and he did. He said, I agree, it’s great that you can feel that nervousness or maybe even fear you have about your father getting really sick or dying. It’s even worth kind of staying with that feeling for a little. It’s good getting used to the idea, that we’re all going to go, mother and father, you and me.