This truly is the ultimate parent's nightmare, their child out alone and threatened as the parent can only listen to it from a distance. We as parents are constantly bombarded with these scenarios as they happen to others, and the terror is enhanced by our imagination.
The title is "A Father's..." and as a father, I can say that our society expects a more forceful and certain response from the father than it does from the mother. We carry the expectation of heroic action, even self-sacrificing heroics, and the complete helplessness of this scenario makes that expectation curdle inside us. Helplessness is not heroic.
The twist at the end brings what would otherwise be an almost run-of-the-mill horror plot to a much happier close. The father is relieved of his heroic burden, and is free to act the more empathic and human role that most of us would prefer.
The reason for the tears - I just wish my kids would tell me they loved me, even once.
Printed from https://writing.com/main/profile/reviews/daveroberts
All Writing.Com images are copyrighted and may not be copied / modified in any way. All other brand names & trademarks are owned by their respective companies.
Generated in 0.07 seconds at 4:54pm on Nov 25, 2024 via server WEBX1.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
