Life Ain't A Fairy Tale by Miguel Rivera Page A

are disgusting."
    "Oh, that. Oh, my son. All couples argue. I
am sorry. It just gets me mad when your father goes overboard when
he is drunk, and I have to defend myself. Your father is only like
that when he gets drunk. He doesn't really mean anything he says.
Do you see him acting like that when he is sober? No. I usually let
him talk when I was younger, but I don't have the same patience I
used to have. I didn't know our arguing bothered you so much. I
will try to ignore him and let him talk."
    "No. That is not the problem. The problem is
my father and his drinking. I don't like it when he tarnishes your
reputation like that. I don't like the venomous tone he offends you
with. I wish my father stops drinking."
    "Oh, son. Your father is a good man. He only
has a drinking addiction. Addiction is a disease. His body needs
alcohol. You know he had a rough childhood growing up with his
grandma. His grandma treated him very harshly. He was traumatized
that his mom and his father never lived together with him. When he
gets drunk, he gets into a mindset that all women are evil. He
needs us to help him with his addiction."
    "My father is never going to stop drinking.
He always drinks. He is never going to stop. This problem will
always exist."
    "Your father loves you with all his heart. He
only offends me. Don't worry. I am used to the way he is. The
important thing is that he is the best father in the world."
    "When he offends you, he offends me. Why did
you get married?"
    "Son. We were in love with each other. That
is why we got married. You know, living together is difficult. I
got to know your father more living together than from just dating.
I didn't know about his drinking problem or his moodiness. He
wasn't that argumentative when we were dating. It turned out we
didn't like each other so much after marriage. Our lives changed
when you came into our lives. You are the best thing to happen to
us. We love you. Son. Do not be an ungrateful person with your
father. If there is a reason I am still married to your father is
because he loves you a lot. He is your life and has done everything
in the world to give you all the toys, video games, private
schools, and foods. He loves you very much. He told me to stop
working so I can take care of you full time. When we didn't have a
child for the first 5 years of marriage, your father would get so
drunk that he would pretend to talk to an imaginary child. He would
admonish the imaginary child for being naughty and misbehaving. He
would burst into tears because he didn't have a son yet. Look
Jimmy. There are other families where parents beat each other up in
front of their children. That is something that never happens with
your father and I. We argue a lot and there is a broken dish or
two, but we never physically hurt each other. Son. I will try not
to argue. I never knew our arguing tormented you. Love is not
forever."
    "That's not the problem. I don't care if you
don't love each other. I don't like the poisonous tone your
conversations take. That is never going to change. This will always
be a problem. I don't like the disrespect. It bothers me the lack
of respect for me. The both of you speak too loud, and it is hard
to avoid what you say."
    "My love, my son. Aren't you understanding?
Love is not forever, and life is not perfect. Other children have
to suffer through more pain. They witness their father beating
their mothers with chairs, and they tell each other much worse
things than your father and I. They have it worse than you do. You
must understand and accept your father the way he is. He loves you
with all of his heart. You are not being fair to your father. You
are judging him too harshly. He has always loved you, and you know
it. We both love you. Try not listening to us. Put the volume
louder on the TV or something. That is why I am very grateful to
have a husband who is the best father imaginable for my biggest
love in my life, you."
    I was forced to be satisfied with