MyFatherandSonRelationship

SebastianNavejar
8thgradeELA
112015

WhenIFirstMetMyFather

IwassevenmonthsoldwhenIfirstmetmyfather.

Mygrandmother,mom,andI
wereinthelivingroom.

Mygrandmotherwaswatchingthenews
,
mymomwas
watchingme
as
Iplayedwithtoys
.
Hesurprisedmymombyshowinguptoherhouse
withoutinformingher.
Heknockedonthedoor
eversogentlethatmymomand
grandmabarelyheardit.
Sheopenedthedoorstunned
,unexpectingmyfathertobeon
theotherside.
Can
Icomeinandtalktoyou
?my
fatherasked
,
inagentlevoicenottryingtocome
acrossasrude.
Sure,comein.my
momresponded
,examininghimfromheadtotoeas
hewalkedin
andsatonthelivingroomcouch.
Whatisityouwanttotalktomeabout?
mymom
asked
,as
sheclosedthefrontdoorandsatnexttohimonthecouch.

ImsosorryforwhatIdidtoyou
,
hesaid

IshouldhavenotdonewhatIdidtoyou
,
youdeservebetter
.
withapuppydogfacialexpressionaskingforforgiveness
.
Mymomdidntlikethefactthatheapologizedaftermonthsofnothearingfromhim.

Mygrandmaslowlygotupfromherreclinertryingnottodrawattentiontoherself
,
grabbedmeandleftthelivingroomtoabedroomdownthehalltogivemyparents
someprivacytotalk.Afterawhileoftalkingtomymother,
myfatheraskedtomeetme
.
Mymomcalledmygrandmatobringmefromtheotherroom.Mygrandmabroughtme
fromtheroomdownthehalltothelivingroomandhandedmetomymother.
Hejolted

fromhisseat
as
mygrandmacarriedmetothelivingroom.

Shehandedmeovertohim
and
hecradledme
inhisarmsrockingbackandforthlikeaboatatsea.

Ieventuallyfell
asleepinhisarms.

Mymothertoldme
thatthatwasthefastestIvefallenasleep.
Itwas
likesomeonejusthitmeovertheheadwithsomethingandknockedmeout.
AfterawhileofthinkingaboutIbecameconfused.Ididntknowwhattofeel.I
hadneverbeenheldbymyfather,oratleastthatswhatIwastold.Itmademe
confused.ShouldIhatemyfatherforaskingforforgivenessandtrytobeinmylifeor
shouldIlovehimbecausehedidapologizeattheend?

MyBaseballExperience

Iwastenwhen
mymomsignedmeupforaminorleaguebaseballteam.

Ifelt
pleased
that
IwasgoingtobeonateamtoplayasportIneverplayedbefore.Iwanted
tolearnthingsthatIdidntknowbefore
.Ifeltsmartandsuperior.
LikeIwastheinventor
ofthethingIwaslearning.
Twoweeksbeforethestartofpractice,while
Iwasatschool
the
coachcalledmy
momandaskedherwhatnumberIwantedtobeandgaveherafewchoices.
When
I
gothomeshetoldme
that
shechosethenumber10
becausethatwasmyage.
Ididnt
mindit.

Igotexcited
that
Ialreadyhadanumber.
Thetwoweekswereveryslothful.
It
wasliketimewentslowjustsoIcouldsuffer.
All
Iwantedwasfortheseasontostart
because
Iwantedtoslideandmakeahomerunorhittheballoutofthefence
butlittle
did
Iknowthatitwouldbehorrible
,that
Iwouldbehorrible
.
Afterthoseslothfultwoweeks,practicestarted.Goingtopracticeandworkingon
theaspectsofbaseball
IthoughtthatIwasdoingwellbutmycoaches
,Joseand
Dequan,thought
Ineededsomehelp.
Theysawthateverytime
IthrewtheballIwould
takeastepbackwithmyrightlegbeforeIthrewit.

Ithought

Iwasdoingtherightthing
,
puttingsomemomentumontheball,butitwouldmeanfortheballtobeinmyhandsfor
longerthanitshould.
Theypulledmetothesideand
Joseasked,
Isthathowyourfathertaughtyouto
throw?

Nosir,
Ineverhadafathertoteachmetocatchorthrow.

Iresponded
withmyhead
downashamedthat
Ididnthaveadadlikeifitwasmyfaulthewasntthere.
Thenhowcanyouhaveanicefollowthrough?
Dequanasked.

Ihadtimeonmyhandstoplaycatch
withawallandwatchyoutubevideosonhow
tohaveagoodfollowthrough,
Iresponded.
Wellthenwhycouldntyoulookup
footplacementwhilethrowingaball
?
Joseasked
,
Ialmostburstedintotears
becausetheywereoverwhelmingmewiththequestions
they
asked.
Because
Ithoughtthatshowyouthrowtheball
.Isntthathowyougetmomentumon
it?
Iresponded
stilltryingtoholdmytearsin.
Theystoppedtalkingforamoment.They
lookedateachother
forsolongwithblankfaces
Ithoughttheywerereadingeach
othersminds
likecomicbooks.
Alright,justcomeoverhereandpracticethrowingtheballtomewithouttakingastep
back.
Josesaidwhilewalkingtotheverycornerofthefield.
Itcametothefirstgameoftheseason,
mymomdroveme
,
Ihadonaregular
Tshirtandsomejeans
on,but
theyweregoingtogiveusourjerseysandbaseball
pantsinthedugout.IwashopingthatIwouldbeonfirstbasewhenwewereon
defence.Weneverworkedonbatting
atpracticeso
noneofusnewifweweregoodor
not.

Theyputmeasanoutfielderandthelastbatterup.
Sinceitwasaminorleague
no
onecouldhittheballtotheouterfield
so
Iwasjusttheirrelaxing.
Iteventuallybecame
ourteamsturntobat.Afterallmyteammateswentitwasmyturntobatand
Iwas
scaredtohittheball.
Itwasamachinethatflungtheball.
Liketwowheelsfacingeach

othertothrowtheballastheyspunrapidly

Iwasscaredthattheballwasgoingtohitmy
face
soeverytime
Iwillbeuptobatmypalmswouldbesweaty.
Whentheballcameat
me
Iwouldswingwithmyeyesclosed.

Iwasbasicallyhittingthebaseball
blind.
This
wasbasicallyeverygameoftheseason.
Ieventuallygotbetteratthrowingbutbattingwasstillaproblem.
My
coachthen
asked
if
Icancometopractice
onSundayswhichwasouroffdayfrompractice.
My
momsaidthatwasokay.

Mycoachthenworkedwithmetobat.Hetaughtme
thatwhen
thefirstballcomesatmejustletitgoanddontswing.
Hesaid
thatitwillallowmeto
seewheretheballwillbeatwhenitreachesthepointofcontactwithmybat.
Intheend
IrealizedtheotherboyshaddadstopracticewithbutIdidntsoItold
mymomthatIdidntwanttoplaynextseason.
Sheasked
,Whynot,youdidgreat?

Ididntlike
thesportintotal,thatsall.
Iresponded
tryingtoplayoffthefactthat
Ididntwanttoplaybecauseeveryoneelsehaddadstopracticewith.

TheChanceICouldHaveMetMyFather

Itwaslastschoolyear,March18,2015.Thedaystartedwithmygrandmayelling
atmetowakeup.
BoobooLevntate.Vasaestartarde!
sheyelled.Iwokeupgroaning
likeif

Igotthe
windblownoutofme.

Ilookedatmy
ipod
forthetime
whichwas6:07am.Jackson,the
school
Iwasatatthetime
,didntopenthegatestill8:10am.
Grandmaitstooearlyformetogetreadyforschool!
Iresponded
as
Iturnedover
in
bed.

Noestemprano,vasaestartarde!
sheresponded
evenlouderthanbefore,as
I
groanedinfrustrationlikeIwasloosingmymind.
SebastianGiovanniNavejargetupandtakeashower!my
momyelled
fromtheother
room.
ShejustmiddlenamedmeIthought.
ThatmeansifIdontdowhattheytoldme
thenIwasintrouble.Then
Iremembered

Ihadafieldtrip
toKemahso
Igotup,walk
outofmyroom,throughthehallwayandkitchenthenwenttomygrandparentsroomto
gettothebathroom.

Itookashower,atebreakfast,brushedmyteeth,combedmyhair,
andputondeodorant.
Bythistime
mytiagottothehouse
.Shecomestomyhouse
everymorningtodropherkidsoffandgotowork.
Mymomwokeup
andaskedmeCanyoucomeoverheretomyroom?
Wewalkedto
herroom.

When
wegottoherroom
sheclosedthedoorandstartedtowhisperLook,Im

goingtocourtforchildsupportfromyourfather.
Heisgoingtobethere
,doyouwantto

goordoyouwanttogoonyourfieldtriptoKemah?
ItwasabigdecisiontomeIhad
thechancetomeetmyfatherorIcouldgotokemah.I,myselfwasnotreadytomeet
myfatheratleastthatswhatIfeltatthetime.
IdidntknowwhatIlldo
if
Iwenttogo
seehim.
WouldIhavegavehimahug?

WouldIvebeenrudeandtellhimwhyhedid
allthethingshedidtomymom?WouldIvetriedtofighthim?

Illgotokemah

Isaid

whilehavingallthesethoughts
jumpinginmyheadlike
kangaroos.
Icouldhavetakenachancetomeetmyfatherbut
Iwasconfused
anddidnt
knowwhatIlldo.