The Fall

Watching his dad light up the first cigarrette he'd had in three months, Justin knew something was wrong. His dad's eyes were in another place, lost within himself. The silence made Justin's nerves tingle almost with an ache. After school was always their time, to recap the day, joke, bounce ideas off each other, or just sing to the radio. But not today, today was "off."

"Dad, what's a matter?"

"Nothin' to worry about, Justin. I just feel like everytime things start going okay, my world is turned upside down. Some sort of cruel joke. But, hey Bud, nothin' for you to worry about." He ruffled Justin's hair, giving him a weak smile while exhaling smoke.

Justin and his father were so much alike. They were both "fixers". There was that need inside them both to make everything okay. The world wasn't balanced, air wasn't breathable, food didn't nourish, if something was wrong with one of them. Justin sought comfort in what always helped clear his thoughts - art. Sitting down at his desk, without thinking he began to draw. First, the world came to life; trees, the sun, grass breathed life into his picture. Slowly, his fingers worked the magic of drawing the silhouette of his father. He seemed to be flying, but yet falling at the same time. His head was toward the ground. It was like he was seeing a different perspective of the world.

"What you drawin'?" He felt his father's hot breath on his neck as he looked over his shoulder.

"I just had a thought that maybe would help, Dad."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" His father had a slight grin with the anticipation of what his son would say. Nothing brought him more joy than seeing how his son's brain worked.

"I just thought maybe you had forgotten or not realized that the sun still shines on you even when your world is turned upside down."