Bad dad bad....

Weekend was nice for kids. One evening at Tokyo tower to see the new year lighting. Next day half day at the new bayside Lalaport mall at Toyosu. Though we didnt make it to the new Kidzania, the trip was in general good fun for kids. But all those lightings are only beautiful when you look from a distance. And only in the dark. The day reckons and the lights are no more to be seen. You now see the dirty and the ugly only...

Today morning was something Irene had been waiting for weeks. Their "harvest" performance in school. As a class they will be talking about harvest in each country during the morning assembly which once in a while is open for parents. She wanted me to go. And the camera too. Her mom will be there anyway. I agreed. Today morning also she reminded me - 9am is the performance. Sure. I will make it.

Wanted to keep her happy. Charged the camera to make sure no last minute issues come up. Made sure to be in the best of my shirts, tied up neatly, wore a good winter jacket instead of those shabby wind-cheaters, rushed to school to reach exactly at 9. And I did. Sharp 9 and I am at the Multipurpose hall where the performance was to............ There came the surprise. I switched on the camera and went in. The entire junior school is singing now. Must be the starting song? But why did they start early? Anyway waited for that song to be over. The principal then thanked everyone, and the first graders stood up to go back. My good God, its over???

Well, its true that Irene made a mistake about time. It actually started at 8:40. But it was too cruel a punishment for that. I had the responsibility to check up once again before setting this surprise. Instead of giving her the surprise, I now took it for myself. And I had to see Irene off to class with tears rolling down her cheeks. She did stop to console me - her dad feels sad if she cries at school - and responded to my gomenne with daijobu; but I am sure her day is immersed in a bucket of tears today. All for a dad who missed her performance.

Bad, daddy, bad................