As I longed for a male role model Fr. Christian came in as the perfect example. He help with mom, he was a priest (but he cursed just enough to show he was human), he loved kids, he thought I was funny, and he took a personal interest in me. While mom was telling me how dad loved his girlfriend and her girls more than us, and that’s why he wasn’t around anymore or that’s why he did not show up on time, or at all, Father “C” would just drop by to see how things were going and stroke my ego. He would take me to DQ, he taught me about the catholic religion, would have me over for dinner, and most of all he loved to ride bicycles, and so did I. that was something dad never did with me. Dad was always working, he had 2 jobs. Father would say little things, “Your dad doesn’t know what he is missing”. While mom fell apart in front of me, we no longer had much money, and things generally went to Hell in a hand-basket, it became clear to my 10 year old eyes who was at fault here, DAD. I thought, he lied to me all my life. He never loved me or how could he do this to me? When I would ask to go just with him for the weekend he would find someway to get “her” to come along. But Father always had time for me, mom was always (be it not the best, a lot of the time) there. How could I have been so dumb I thought. It was so obvious dad did not love me at all, only mom and Father “C”, only people on mom’s side of the family loved us. How else could you explain that the Fischers were not around in this the worst of times for me?