Last weekend started with something simple — a trip to the mall so my ninety-two-year-old father could buy new shoes. Even at his age, he refuses help with choosing a pair. He wandered through the men’s section with the same determination he’d had in his twenties, insisting on inspecting every stitch and trying on half the shelf. Nearly an hour later, he finally settled on a pair of soft leather loafers that made him smile with boyish delight. “Feels like walking on clouds,” he said as we made our way toward the food court.
We found a table near a teenager who sat alone, picking at a tray of fries. His hair immediately caught my father’s eye — spikes of vivid green, streaks of red and orange, flashes of electric blue. It was the kind of style meant to turn heads.
But my father didn’t stare with judgment. He watched with the kind of quiet curiosity that comes from a lifetime of seeing the world change again and again. He wasn’t disapproving — just thoughtful.
The boy noticed. His shoulders tightened as he glanced over, irritation flickering through his expression. Finally, he turned toward my father with a half-smirk and asked, “What’s the matter, old man? Never seen anyone have fun before?”
I braced myself. My father has always been sharp-tongued when pushed, and I expected a comeback or a critique. Instead, he set down his fork, leaned in slightly, and spoke with gentle calm.
“When I was your age,” he said, “I didn’t have colorful hair. But I tried to make the world around me colorful — with kindness, respect, and joy.”
The teen’s bravado faltered. He frowned, unsure how to respond, while my father continued with the same steady warmth.
“You remind me of myself. I thought standing out meant people had to notice me. But the brightest thing you can show isn’t on your head — it’s in how you treat people.”
The noisy food court seemed to hush around us. The boy looked down at his fries, the defensiveness melting out of his posture. “I… guess that makes sense,” he murmured. Then, more quietly, “Thanks.”
My father simply nodded and returned to his soup, as though he hadn’t just shifted the course of a stranger’s afternoon.
