The Man

I saw him yesterday.

The man.

It was not a good day. He hurts.

I look back upon other days and I remember.

I remember the man who bounced me on his knee.
The man who took me to dance class.
The man who walked me to school.

I remember the man who cheered from the sidelines.
The man who scared away boyfriends.
The man who cried when I graduated.

I remember the man who hugged me when I hurt.
The man who picked me up when I fell.
The man who held my hand, even when I didn't want him to.

The body is different, but the man is the same.

The man fights it, but it fights back.
His body is filled with chemicals, just up until the point where it can kill him.
Why? To kill the cancer that is trying to kill him. Funny how that works.

The man. My father. He hurts.