My Father’s Friend

By R KRISHNA PRADEEP

He is too intimate with my father
From his college days,
And surely will be till his death.

He is with him
In his success and happiness
In his loneliness and grief too.

Yet we say,
“his friend weakens and ruins him”.

He forgets his responsibilities
When he is with him.
He worries for the family,
When he is not with him.

He is in a dilemma
As to which to choose.
Friend or family
And finally destroys himself and family.

Only to embrace his friend turned foe
“Mr. Alcohol”