As a child, she despised the fluorescent green jacket with reflective safety stripes that hugged his body. His uniform embarrassed her though she never missed a meal and always had a roof over her head. His hard work paid for the tuition that her academic abilities couldn’t cover, yet her father was a blemish on her life.
She left home as soon as she was able and never looked back. Four years had passed, with her Bachelor’s degree in hand, she prepared herself for medical school.
“We did it!” Marva shouted as her entire class tossed their caps into the air.
Once the crowd began to disperse, she heard someone calling her name. “Marva,” his southern drawl made her head swim. She hadn’t invited anyone to join in on her special day.
“Marva,” he moved quickly in her direction. She caught a glimpse of his coat and then his teethy smile, both disgusted her. She groaned, stomped and turned to face him. The same green jacket, with the same familiar stench sent her fingers immediately to her nose, pinching it shut, she spoke. “I didn’t want you here!” Her voice, nasally and annoying, pierced his ears.
The old man hung his head. “You always cared more about what people thought than you did your own family,” he reached in his pocket and pulled out a key fob. The silver emblem put a smile on her face and a gleam in her eye. She looked across the parking lot, a giant red bow sat atop a luxury coupe.
“For me?” She reached for the keys.
He paused. “I love you Marva but you can’t get another dime from this old garbage man!” He retracted his gift and hobbled away.
Leesa Writes 