Dad's Lie

It was only later that I learned that my father had lied.

My family was not rich at all. The tiled roof was old, and the four walls were covered with green moss. On rainy days, water dripped from the cracks in the tiles, and my mother had to use buckets and basins to catch it. The meals all year round consisted of boiled morning glory, a plate of dried fish with fish sauce, and a bowl of fish sauce with a few slices of chili. During the rainy season, the rice was flooded, the fields were desolate, and my father became emaciated with worry. However, every time I asked, “Is our family poor, Dad?” My father smiled brightly and gave the same answer: “Our family is rich! Don’t you see that we have vast rice fields, a flock of chickens chirping in the yard, and my mother cooking delicious meals every day?”

I believed those lies completely. I grew up believing that I was the happiest child in the world, because my family was “the richest in the neighborhood”.

When I was in high school, one day I came home from school and saw my father sitting pensively on the porch, a half-burnt cigarette in his hand. As soon as I put my bag down, my father smiled and said: “This year, if you try to study hard, I will buy you a new bicycle.” I was so happy! I had dreamed of owning a bicycle for a long time, so that I would no longer have to hitchhike with my friends every morning.

But when the first day of school came, the new car was still nowhere to be seen. Instead, I received an old car with peeling paint, but my father said firmly: “This car is very sturdy. Drive carefully!”. I knew that my father had run around everywhere, fixing up an acquaintance’s old car so that I could have a means of transportation to school. I didn’t blame him, but I understood that sometimes he lied to keep me from being sad.

Dad never said "I love you", but I understood everything through his lies.

Dad lied that he wasn't tired, but every night he came home with heavy shoulders.

Dad lied that his shirt was new, but in fact the collar was frayed and the fabric was faded by the sun and wind.

Dad lied that he wasn't hungry, because he saved the best piece of meat for me...

Those lies made me feel protected in unconditional love.

The day I passed the university entrance exam, my father smiled brightly, patted my shoulder and said: “Just go to school, tuition is not a problem!”. I knew it was another lie. But this time, I did not believe it as quickly as when I was a child. I saw the deeper wrinkles on my father’s face, saw his hands become rougher, saw his eyes shining with worry...

I said nothing, just squeezed my father’s hand. And for the first time, I said something to him that I had never said before: “Dad, I love you so much!”. He looked at me, was silent for a moment, then smiled gently: “Yes, I know.”

This time, I believe it is not a lie.

Hello love, season 4, theme "Father" officially launched from December 27, 2024 on four types of press and digital infrastructure of Radio - Television and Binh Phuoc Newspaper (BPTV), promising to bring to the public the wonderful values of sacred and noble fatherly love.
Please send to BPTV your touching stories about Father by writing articles, writing feelings, poems, essays, video clips, songs (with recordings),... via email [email protected], Editorial Secretary Office, Binh Phuoc Radio - Television and Newspaper, No. 228, Tran Hung Dao, Tan Phu Ward, Dong Xoai City, Binh Phuoc Province, phone number: 0271.3870403. The time to receive articles is from now until August 30, 2025.
Quality articles will be published, paid royalties, and rewarded at the end of the topic with 1 special prize and 10 excellent prizes.
Let's continue writing the story about Father with "Hello Love" season 4, so that stories about Father can spread and touch everyone's hearts!

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/19/171009/loi-noi-doi-cua-ba