04 February 2006

Get Off My Back Please

Since Dad's Chinese New Year break is as long as mine, he's home 98% of the time and his presence is very uncomfortable. I rarely have any private time to myself because he could just suddenly pop his head over my door (I mean that figuratively). And I have to accompany him for most meals and follow him out. Worse, I have to listen to his (mostly) lame jokes and offer a fake epileptic laugh.

He's a nice person to be around, but there's also too much of a good thing. And when he is annoyed, it kind of rubs off on me too. This holiday reminds me of the time when Dad was laid off during the 1997 economic crisis. He was unemployed for a few years so most of the time he is at home and it really bugged me. I had to inform him of my whereabouts constantly and I felt really caged in. Of course, I was much younger then but it is happening all over again now.

That's the disadvantage of being the only child - there really is no one else for him to bug.

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