I sat on a bench at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to come. I was staring at the moving cars and pedestrians when a middle-aged man wearing a formal suit and tie came to sit next to me. He was carrying a gift bag.

        “Hi, there,” he said to me with a wide smile on his face.

        “Um, hello,” I replied.

        “Don’t you think it’s such a nice day?” he looked up at the clear, blue sky. “How would you feel if you’re going to visit your daughter who ran away when she was young?” he asked me, still smiling.

        “I guess I would be happy to see her again. How would you feel, sir?” I said.

        His smile faded and his body suddenly stiffened, “well, I would be a little nervous. I haven’t seen her for a long time.” He sighed and turned his head to the road.

        Many thoughts were swelling up inside me, almost bursting out. Why is this man talking to me? I’m a total stranger to him. He doesn’t look like a person who could harm anyone though. And what had happened between him and his daughter?

        “Do you know why my daughter moved out?” he turned his head to me again.

        “No, sir. Why?” I asked him. That was exactly what I wanted to know, although I should keep my nose out of other people’s business.

        “I guess it’s because I was being a bit too controlling. You see, when her mother had died, I had to take more responsibility,” his shoulder’s sagged. “I thought I needed to be her father and take mother’s place at the same time. Maybe I was too bossy,” he confessed and sighed again.

        “You are going to visit her now, right? But has she agreed for you to see her,” I asked politely, trying to disguise my curiosity with an innocent face.

        “Yes. In fact, she was the one who called me. I was surprised to hear her voice on the phone because we’ve been separated for so long. She said she was sorry that she moved our. So since I got in contact with her I wanted to visit her new home. She said she bought her own apartment. And I’m bringing her favourite kind of chocolate chip cookies. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled,” he showed me the cookies in his pink paper bag.

        I smiled, “that’s very nice of you. I’m sure she will like that.” He smiled back.

I heard the bus coming to the bus stop. I stood up to face the man, “thank you for sharing your story with me. I’ve got to go now.”

“And thank you for being such an attentive listener. Bye, then. I hope I see you again,” he waved at me.

“Hope you and your daughter will get along well,” I called back while running to the bus.

The man seems like a sympathetic father who really cares for his child. I’m sure he and his daughter can get along well.