My father was a habitual smoker, drinks regularly and gambles day in day out; he has never tried to influence me.
I used to kick a fuss late at night when I fail to complete my school work. My dad will come out and tell me in Mandarin: 'I'll keep you accompany.' That is 3 in the morning, and he knows no English.
Once, he caught me smoking at my void deck but turned away without saying anything. When I reached home, he said not a word to me but I caught him shedding tears. Few years before this incident, he had contacted throat cancer and now breathes through a hole in his throat, losing the ability to speak, eat or even drink normally.
Ever since I was 15, my father stopped working due to his conditions, so I got myself a part-time work as a waiter to earn my own allowance. When I got my first pay and gave a portion to him, he told me that when he cease to exist, 'your mother will need 100-times of this, can you do it?' I nodded, turned away and sobbed
Being uneducated, my father has never imparted me any knowledge relevant to my studies but he taught me more than any teacher ever did. He understands no philosophy but inculcated morals and ethics in me; he appreciates no literature but showed me a deeper meaning to life. I no longer makes a din in the wee hours and have cut down on smoking. I am moving forward, only because of him and the 100-times performance he demanded from me on my mother's behalf.
