Papa Murphy

My dad was never around

when I was growing up

He was always on the road

He was always working

I respected that

but sometimes I feel I missed out

He never made it to my graduations

He never was there

to watch cartoons on the weekends

Papa Murphy

was never was around

to serve me slices of pizza

But he seemed to always arrive

to serve me slices of wisdom

when I needed it

I told him I was heartbroken

That I felt I missed an opportunity

That someone walked away from me

Someone I thought really cared for me

I didn't tell him much of the details

but he seemed to understand

He told me a story about the love of his life

Vicki

"Vicki Westfall? That mom you dated at my school?"

"No. Vicki was my girl friend before I met your mom."

"What happened?"

"She was ready to commit. She knew we had something special."

"It was the best relationship I ever had. We were good together. We could have really been something."

"But I was 25 and I was stupid. I was busy playing games. I didn't realize how good I had it."

"You know men mature slower than women."

"And I didn't realize what I had until she was gone."

"I still wonder about her. I think everyone has that one love that got away"

"Why don't you try to reach out? In the technology age relationships can be revived with just a message, and they can even work from a long distance."

"Because I know better, Doobie. You don't run after someone who left you. If she finds me again, great. It's meant to be, it will be."

The song "Que Sera Sera" rang in my head

"Besides, if I never made the mistake of marrying your mother you wouldn't exist, and that's the best gift I could have ever had."

I smiled

as the slice of wisdom

slithered down my throat

I swallowed the lesson

like a pill without water

My belly gurgled

as my stomach acid digested it

That's when I realized he was right