My Father Was....

Since I was a kid, I always wondered what my dad did for a living. Some days he was home some days he wasn’t. Some mornings he’d sleep in, some nights he’d stay up. However every time he went to work he’d always take a crusty package wrapped in brown paper.

In third grade I tried to get him to come to career day. Every year until 8th grade I’d try to talk him in to going. He’d simply laugh and tell me “I don’t think so son. I’m not interesting enough”. For 5 years straight my mom came to career day to discuss the importance of flossing. Deep down however I always wondered the occupation of my dad and what was in that crusty brown package.

In 8th grade my dad missed my graduation. Me my mom and my grandparents sat in a booth at the diner. As I tried to force down my strawberry pancakes I finally worked up enough courage to ask my mother a question that’s been on my mind. As I forced a piece of pancake into my mouth I asked “mom what does dad do for a living?”. The table got silent as I could hear my grandfather digesting his prunes. My mother stared at me and simply smiled reassuring me “don’t worry son, when the time comes all your questions will be answered.” Not the answer I wanted to hear as it only peaked my curiosity as a teen.

That summer before high school I did my best to spy on my dad in an attempt to learn the truth. I paid more attention to the items he’d buy at stores as well the conversations he had on the phone. Either my dad was really good at being secretive or I was just bad at being a spy. My friends often made jokes about my dad being an assassin or even a drug dealer. While all these speculations were all jokes it still made me wonder even more. As I got older though I began to worry more as well. Was my father involved in the mafia, is he some murderer like the guys in horror movies? Did the brown package contain his weapon of choice for murder? I needed to learn the truth before I went crazy!!

Throughout my years in high school dad missed many events. My first hockey game, the science fair, prom. The first event that I actually seen my dad attend was for my grandfathers funeral. It was also the first time I seen my father cry. It was an interesting moment because I never knew my father and grandfather had a such a strong relationship. Mainly because anytime we’d visit them or they’d visit us my dad was never around. So there I watched my dad cry. As he went up to my grandfathers casket he pulled out the brown package. As a older teen I was able to understand this package meant something to the two of them.

Upon arriving home my dad sits the package down. Him and my mother retire to the upstairs. As I grab a water from out the fridge, I attempt to stare a hole through the bag as if I had superpowers to no avail. I hear the shower begin to run from upstairs. All the curiosity that I had bottled for 18 year had finally reached its breaking point. I knew this was my chance to finally know what was in this package. Maybe it’ll give me some insight into what my dad does for a living. However I also knew the contents of this package may never make me look at my father the same again. I approach the package to see a single strip of tape holding it tightly packed. I find the nearest pair of scissors and tape dispenser and now I’m finally ready to open it.

“Son what are you doing?” My father says from the dark in a calm and collected manner. My face turned white I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t know if I was in trouble or not I just knew I was busted. “Wanted to see what was in that package?” He said as he approached me. “I always see you with it but you never open it.” I said timidly. As my father approached me I looked for the nearest weapon realizing I don’t know my father that well and he very well may kill me right now. He puts his arm around my shoulder. “When the time is right, you’ll know the truth.” he says with a smile on his face. I shake my head in agreement knowing I won’t get an answer but also happy my father isn’t about to kill me right now.

As I went off to college I began thinking less about it. I joined the hockey team thinking that my dad would miss a ton of games. Much to my surprise he made a decent amount. During my graduation he missed the first half but somehow managed to make it in time to hear my name be called. It seems the older I got the more involved my father became. I think the death of my grandfather really made him want to be more involved in my life. As time time went on I didn’t care about the brown package or his occupation. I was just happy to have my dad around more.

After college I managed to meet the love of my life. We married soon after meeting after we realized we were perfect for each other. My mom was against it at first but dad always supported the decision. We had a son after 2 years of being married and my dad actually stayed for the whole pregnancy. At this point I was at an age where I’d simply make jokes to myself about his job and the package. I just assumed him staying for the whole pregnancy meant there were no people to kill tonight.

A few weeks later my world was changed. My father was attacked by a group of men. Our family was devastated. Me and my mother took turns staying with him. At his age, the injuries sustained were too great. My father sadly passed away after being in a coma for 2 months. As me and my mother planned his funeral, all the feelings as a kid came back. Maybe if I knew what he did and what was in the package maybe I could find out who did this.

At his funeral hundreds showed up to pay respects. This caught me by surprise because I only knew 2 of his friends, but during his funeral no chair was empty. At the repast many people approached me as if they knew me for years paying their respects. These people knew more about me then I knew about myself.

A few weeks later I get a knock on my door from the delivery man. It’s the brown paper wrapped package. I sat down at the table and took a deep breath. Knowing that over 3 decades worth of questions would finally be answered.

I opened the package and there’s a letter in it that reads “son I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you more, hope this explains why”. In addition to the letter there are coordinates and a key. Without even telling my wife I leave to drive to these coordinates.

I finally arrive to a dead tree in the words. My disappointment is at an all time high. There I wondered were my coordinates wrong because this couldn’t be it. As I look around more I notice a keyhole in the tree. I take the key from the package and insert it. The tree opens up and my mind is blown. I enter the tree that leads down a set of stairs. The darkness engulfs my body and as I take my phone out to shine my light it barely illuminates anything. Fear takes over my body and I go to turn around. Suddenly my body gets sucked into a wormhole that leads me to another dimension.

After what seemed like hours I fall into a black ocean. Completely drenched I make my way to a group of people. As I get closer I notice they are aliens. One of them steps up and bows to me as The Son of Astroman. He explains everything, informing me that my father was an Astrophysicist who created a wormhole connecting Earth and the planet Valso. Aliens exist and it was my fathers job to develop astronomical weapons to fight evil forces from taking over the Earth and Valso. The people of Valso show me the entity responsible for my fathers injuries and death. As vengeance filled my heart, a suit is handed to me from one of the Aliens. It’s an Bionic-suit with ninja like abilities, mystical powers, and rocket boosters. As I approached the suit it took ahold of me and molded onto me. I grab the Astro sword next to it as I approach the monster responsible for my fathers death.

I walked down a trail that leads me to my target. I look up into the sky with my enhanced Astro sight to see my foe. I begin to sprint and fly full speed at my target with my Astro Sword drawn. My father wasn’t a murderer, he wasn’t a drug dealer, he wasn’t in the mafia. My father was hero, a protector of the universe. My father was Astroman, and now so am I.