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Personal Log Stardate 63442.1
My father and I have now returned from Earth, and are beginning the
process of living together. I have decided against establishing some
quarters for him and instead have moved him into my personal quarters.
My living space is large enough for two, though he is not the roommate I
had in mind. I have the deck chief drawing up plans to extend a room
onto my quarters, giving him a modicum of privacy, but until that
happens I shall resign myself to sleeping on my sofa until his personal
room is ready. I can already tell this is not going to be an easy
adjustment. My father has already expressed his reluctance with the
whole matter, complaining the entire flight from Hull to the station
that he would have rather been left to his own devices on Earth. While I
am sure that he would have got along fine, the fact is that my family
members should not be asked to do something that is my obligation. He is
my father after all. Meredith politely offered to take my father into
her home, but the fact is that she has her own family to look after, her
son and daughters and her husband. There is no need to add to her
family situation. Besides, I have the room so it only makes sense that
he come be with me.
Of course, it also gives me the unique
opportunity to get to know the man. So much of his history has been
clouded over, things that neither of us are willing to talk about. My
mother being one of those things. How many times I wished that we had
the opportunity to sit down and talk about it, to gain some sort of
perspective on the whole incident surrounding her death, but neither of
us has been willing or able to make that attempt to talk about it, to
communicate our thoughts on the subject. I know it was never explained
to me to any sort of satisfaction. And that is something that has
haunted me for much of my life. But, even now as I watch my father move
about the room, placing our family photos all about my living room, I
cannot help but recognize the possibility being presented to me now.
Hopefully before his condition worsens, he and I will have the
opportunity for a long awaited conversation.
Perhaps my
largest concern is with my father interacting with my officers. His
longstanding friendship with Edwin Sutherland is something that is sure
to be quite interesting to watch as they renew their interactions, and I
am sure that the other officers will soon find themselves in the
company of the man. I am not sure how much interaction he will be up
for, considering his condition. But I want him to be comfortable here,
and that means putting up with his attempts to get to know the men and
women that live and work here. I only hope he can contain himself, and
give others time to adapt to him before he reveals the true "James
Thrace" that I know.
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