Rehabilitation

[Gondoros]

Doc: John? Go ahead.

John realises that the doctor did not hear him.

John: I don't remember that much about him as I said ........

He goes on describing his father. A stern man, rough, used to drink a lot. He wasn't always like that. When he was a child, maybe 10 years old, he remembers his father smiling at him, looking down, a big smile, a real one. At that time all seemed fine , as he remembers it. His parents got along, always holding hands, his sisters were home, ...... one big happy family.
Then one day it all changed. His father disappeared for a couple of years. Money was low , they had nowhere to turn. At the age of 13 he started hanging with an odd crowd. Got in trouble soon after. Had to do some things......being that young, that naive, a child by all facts. He tells himself he had to. The sound of his mother crying herself to sleep at night gave him the guts to do them.
But after a while that wasn't enough. Drugs came in the picture. Sweet relief. And besides that, it was a good way to make a living. A teenager selling drugs, so what's new? Not as if anybody cared. not with all the crap that was happening around him. His mother didn't know, or at least didn't care enough to pay attention.
After a while, the cops got tired of him. Sent to The Hands of Iron Correctional Institution on Houston. Just his luck to get the worst one. No matter, by that time he was tough and if he wasn't already, the daily beatings there made him tough. through all things that happened there ha made himself one promise : No crying, don't be like your mother! Don't be weak!
That's when his anger towards his father began to grow. He used it, molded it into a shield, to make him stronger, immune to the violence, immune to the pain. He planned everything in his head. Started to imagine having arguments with his father when they will meet again. As time passed the arguments grew to fights and towards the end, to his fathers death. Late in the night, that's all he was thinking. He's sit on the cold pavement in his room (more like a cell), staring at the wall in front of him, imagining his father nailed to it. He could taste the vengeance.
In the end he will find his revenge, but not his peace.

John stops talking as he looks at his right hand. It's shaking and he sees blood on it. But that can't be real! Can it?

Doc: John? John? Are you alright?

The doctor looks concerned. he stands and walks over to John, touching him on the shoulder. John looks back at him , his eyes are tearing up.

Doc: I think we're done for today John. Go home and be with your wife. We'll get back at it next time.

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