As a kid, my dad was raised by both parents, which doesn’t quite happen in other families. His family always praised him for his brain. He is one of the smartest person you will ever encounter. But, as a young adult, he made a mistake. A mistake that shocked many. He, unfortunately, dropped out of college. Many looked at him different because he was supposed to stop the cycle, be different from the family. I can tell that a part of him hates the fact that he dropped out because he disappointed many, but I can also tell that a part of him is happy with what he has become, a father. My dad has been there for his kids for as long as I can remember. He has never failed to be there for us as a dad and a friend.

My dad was born and raised in Chicago. He knows the city very well. He loves it so much that when he takes pictures of his cars, he makes sure that chicago is present in any type of way. One day, he took my sister and I to go take pictures of a car he was selling. He took us to little Village High School because he thought it was a nice building. After a few pictures, my sister and I got distracted by the car wash that was across the school. My dad, being the best, took us there, and we explored it. We even played hide and seek. While we were playing hide and seek, my sister hit her head against the car wash machine. She was bleeding from her head, and we had to rush to the hospital. Since she wasn’t crying and the blood wasn’t too visible since her hair was covering it, the doctors didn't take her as serious. Although she was there first, other patients were being taken in. My dad went into one of the rooms, and he demanded my sister to be seen. As soon as he was heard, my sister was seen.  

While Chicago can be one of the greatest cities to be in, it contains a lot violence . Because my dad lived in Chicago his whole life, he knows the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. Raising his kids in Chicago was scary for him, but he did it anyway because he loves his city. His fear caused him to become a very strict dad. When I was younger, my dad would not even let me go to my front yard. He was afraid something was going to happen. At 6th grade, kids tend to want to go over each others’ house. My dad wouldn’t even let me go over my grandma’s house without a parent. At 7th and 8th, kids want to go out with their friends, but my dad would not let us. One time all friends went to the movies, and I was the only one that didn’t go. My dad got really mad at me because I begged him a lot, and I wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was mad at him because I never got to do anything. When I settled down, my dad explained to me his fears, and he apologized for saying no. That weekend, he took me to go see the movie. He now takes me to see many movies, and he continues even if he falls asleep.

My dad was there for us when my sister opened her head. He risked getting kicked out just because of my sister’s safety. He was also a friend to me because he takes me to go do things, like watch movies. His schedule is really busy with selling cars. He barely has time for himself, yet he always makes time to be a dad and a friend. I love my dad, and although many people think he made a mistake, I think that he didn’t. Or maybe he did make a mistake, but it was the best mistake because he  is a happy father with a good job.