Am i cruel for not wanting to help my father?
When I was 5, my father got into drugs (mainly heroin). He lost his job and as a result, my Mom had to take a second job to pay the bills and I know that he beat her pretty badly when he was messed up. She tried everything in her power to try to help him off of the drugs but she never succeeded.
One day, when I was 8, my Dad came home messed up while I was trying to make myself some lunch in the kitchen and he babbled at me, turned me around and punched me in the jaw, which knocked me onto the ground. He broke my jaw and eye socket and I went unconcious for a little bit, I could hardly move. He rummaged through the house and the dog barked at him until a half an hour later, the neighbors called the cops and when I heard them knock on the door, I screamed as loud as I could and the last thing I remember was hearing them break down the door.
6 months later, my father was in prison and my Mother was divorcing him and we had moved into an apartment closer to my Grandma's house. I'm 24 now and every now and then when I drive into town I will see him. He is homeless and sometimes he holds up signs begging for "anything you can give", but he usually looks strung out.
The reason I ask is because of a girl I was dating a few weeks ago. She asked me about my father and I told her all of this and she said that I was cruel for not helping him because he is now just a weak, helpless homeless man. I personally don't give a rat's ass about how he has an "illness" or anything like that. I never even think about him. I no longer consider him my Dad. He's been gone for years. Am I really cruel for not trying to help him?
| Yes | 11 | |
| No | 68 | |
| Other (comment) | 3 |