SOLD!

My dad and I loved watching the news together. We could each be yelling at the t.v. for different reasons, but it never bothered us. We could follow each other’s conversations with no problem.

One day, I was watch/yelling the news with my dad, and a story about a father selling his daughter came on. At that point, we both shut our mouths, and watched the segment. This father had been arrested for selling his 13 year old daughter to a man for $15,000. His defense was, “That’s how things are done back home.” He didn’t understand that his daughter was not property.

My father may have been from the Old World, but he was a modern American and a feminist. He didn’t show it, but the news segment disgusted him. He was the father of a daughter, and the thought of me being chattel boiled his blood. But Dad was Dad and he had to make at least one inappropriate comment. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Don’t worry. I would never have sold you for less than $30,000.” Aw..thanks, Dad.

dolores@30secondtales.com