Summary

The narrator knows he failed with his son, because his son had disappointed him. Last year, the son called him for his birthday. The narrator was disappointed by his son's life. He was "always someone who could be happy," while the narrator was not (22). He assumes his son's mother made him call. He remembers other such instances.

Last fall, the narrator watched his son bartending from the street. He did not go in. He "was afraid" he would tell him he "had cancer" (23). He did not want his son's compassion. Watching his son, he remembered all the ways he had let his son down. One time after gambling together, the son used his winnings to buy a pair of expensive earrings. It took him "a whole year to realize" that they were for his mother, not "some girl" (24). The narrator thinks he failed...