My Father

Matthew Guevara

was recently asked a sentimental question for a class assignment. My teacher asked ?If you could travel to anytime in your life, when/where would it be. And why?? After about a day?s work of pondering that question, I have finally come up with an answer. If I could travel to anytime it would have to be September 11th 2001. My name is Matthew Guevara and I would like to tell you the story behind my answer to this question. When I was ten years old my life seemed simple, it was fantastic. I had a mother who loved me, a father who was always there for me, an older brother who taught me the meaning of brotherly love, and a little sister on the way. It started on September 5th 2001. The day was a warm day down in Texas and my dad made plans for the whole family to go to New York. We were to leave on the 10th and seven in the morning. As the days went by I couldn?t stop talking about it to my friends. My parents promised me that we would go see the Statue of Liberty! I was as excited as a ten year old boy could get. Finally the day came and we set off to New York. We got to our hotel and all took a nap. When I woke up I couldn?t contain my joy and immediately woke up my whole family! I begged to go to the Statue of Liberty but disappointingly found out that we couldn?t go today due to my mother?s stomach pains of pregnancy. So instead we all ?chilled? at the hotel for the day, later that night for some reason I got into a fight with my dad and didn?t speak to him for the rest of the night. Before I fell asleep my dad said in a sweet voice, ?Hey I?m sorry for what happened. If you don?t wanna come to the Twin Towers with me in the morning I?ll understand. But if you do, just ask your brother to take you. I?ll be waiting for you guys.?

Still angry I acted as if I didn?t hear him. The next morning at 8:00 I woke up and saw my father standing at the door and walking out. I didn?t stop him and ask him to stay, I didn?t tell him I?d meet him there, I didn?t say I was sorry and I loved him. I just watched him walk out the door. I went back to sleep because I had not gotten good enough sleep the night before. At 8:50 I awoke to my mother?s screams. The TV was on and my brother was crying. I didn?t know what was wrong until I saw what my family was watching. A plane had crashed into the building? ?No, that can?t be real?, I thought to myself. ?Hey what movie is that?? I asked my mom and brother. But they didn?t answer. I couldn?t believe my eyes. Was this really happening? Was I still dreaming? No, it was as real as the last ten years of my life. My mom ran out the door with my brother after her. In shock I just stood there with a teary eye watching the television. Not knowing if my dad was okay. He probably got out of there before the airplane hit, was my first thought. ?He was probably at a Starbucks or something?, I continued with a sort of smile on my face trying to fight the tears. That was the day my father died. That was the day I ignored him completely. The day I didn?t say, ?I love you.? That day my family was ripped apart because of my doing. I should have asked him to stay with us. But I didn?t.

I would go back that day and save the life of my father and the lives of many people that were there that same day.