My Dad and I Vol. 3

I was 12.

My dad used to have this wallet that he had been using for as long as I know. It was so worn out, that infact, it no longer has a shape of a proper wallet. More like an old piece of leather folded up in two.

Once, my sis and I had planned to buy him a new wallet for his birthday. But mom told us to forget about it as she have tried before, but to no avail.

One day, I watched him getting ready for work. While he put his wallet in his backpocket, he noticed that I've been looking at him for the past 15 minutes or so.


Kenapa ni? Semacam je tengok bapak..Something wrong with my hair?

Tak. Just terpikir, kenapa bapak tak nak tukar wallet tu ye? Kan dah koyak benda tu?

Hmm...it's a man thing...a real man..hehehe...

Eh, what do you mean?

Takdelah, Wallet ni pun mak kamu yang belikan. When someone macam mak kamu, who means a lot to me, bought me something, I'll make sure I'll use the thing sampai hancur berderai..heh..

Ok but, yang real man tu macam mana pak?

You really wanna know ye...?

Yes.

Well, sampai satu masa, you put the interest of your loved ones above yours. And if they're happy, that alone will make your day. And you don't need anything else dah pun. Masa tu, you're a real man.

Not even a new wallet pak?

Yes. Bapak prefer belikan kamu, kakak, ngan mak something new rather than I buy something for myself.

Tapi kenapa?

Sebab bapak lagi sayang kamu semua lebih dari bapak sayang diri sendiri. Bapak rasa that's what makes a man, a real man.


Thanks bapak. For the time and wisdom. I'll keep that in mind for the rest of my life.