The phone rang about twenty times. Apparently they were out in the garden drinking coffee and didn't hear it. I must have said the phrase to myself about twenty times: "Good morning Father!" Or "Good morning Mother!" Depending on who would pick it up. "I would like to announce something to you.." I would say later..
– Front!
– …
– Go ahead I say!
– .. Yes.. good morning Father.. or Mother?.. uh.. who is on the phone please?
– Johnny.
– Who Johnny?
– The one who nails you! Hahaha!..
– Father you?
– Haha! Yes, old boy me! I played a prank on you, because your mom and I were sitting in the garden drinking mojitos and we hear the phone ringing, and we're like, this cool son is going to be ours, and your mom says to me, give him that weird voice that on the phone and no one recognizes you, and then I thought I'll say my name is Johnny, so you'd ask me "who Johnny?", and I'd say..
– Father! Father ok..I got it..uh…I have something very important to announce to you and I was thinking of being there tomorrow morning…I want to announce it to you in person. Tomorrow.
– Tomorrow; Tomorrow morning; …No way.
– What… what do you mean Father? I must see you! I made some very important decisions about my life... and my career...
– No way! Tomorrow morning we will be out!
– What do you mean out Father? …that is…
– Look see Johnny, uh… son I just wanted to say… tomorrow morning is a very important morning for your father… and your mother too… I can't explain it right now child, but trust me… don't come tomorrow in the morning! Come on… come on… let's say.. in a couple of months for example… what do you say?
– But, Father!.. I'm getting married! I'm changing jobs! City! Home! Religion! I'm changing gender! Again!… I have a lot to tell you…
– My son! Son I say! Whatever decision you made, son, we are with you! Yes my son! Me and your mother and all of us here in the village support you! Move on! Do the right thing! Du wat e man gat du du! Or, on the other hand, du wat e human gat du du… we don't have a reason… But don't come tomorrow morning.
– .. Father.. ma.. ma.. I wanted to see you… before I fly to Rio… and then… to San Francisco ..
– Rio? Frisco? You were crying all the way! Come on, I got in! Look… son, I'm hanging up on you now.. Roberto is calling me… they're all at the pool waiting for me… Son! Go ahead!... Well, as we said... in a couple of months... His mind!..
(closes it)
– …But… Father…
*Cover photo: from the movie The Godfather