Just another let down

Posted on Sat Jul 5th, 2025 @ 2:26pm by Damien McGinnis

553 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Graduation Day
Location: Comm Room, Angel Grove Stadium
Timeline: 09:30, April 18th 2051

Damien walked into the comm room of the stadium. He'd been told there was a call waiting for him, so he had rushed down; with less than half an hour until he had to give the commencement address, and most of the speech still not written, he wanted to get what he figured was his Uncle Jack congratulating him over and done with.

He reached the terminal, keying in his code, the computer beeping at him to indicate he was authorised to receive the transmission. A moment later, the image of his father appeared on the screen, looking slightly sheepish.

"Dad, what are you doing calling me now?" Damien asked "I'm due to be giving the opening speech to my graduation from the Academy in half an hour, and you're calling me from the farm... Wait, why are you still on the farm?"

His father shifted awkwardly for a moment before letting out a long, deep sigh. Damien already knew what was coming.

"I'm really sorry, kiddo, but I'm not going to be able to make it." His father spoke with regret in his voice "Wolfie is sick and I need to wait for the vet to get out to look at her."

Wolfie was his father's dog he'd got when Damien had left for the Academy. The German Shepherd was a sweetheart, always coming up to everyone she saw for hugs and pets. Damien loved the dog to pieces, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed at his father choosing the dog over him.

"It's okay Dad." Damien lied "You look after Wolfie. I'll make sure you get sent a copy of the recording."

Before his father could answer, Damien cut off the communication. It wasn't the first time his Father had let him down to take care of an animal, and it wouldn't be the last. It had always felt like his father was a farmer first and a father second.

He moved towards the window of the room, looking out. He could see various personal and public transports arriving at the arena. Everyone's friends and families arriving to watch them graduating. If they could, that was; Kilena's folks were still missing, and despite being friendly with them, it shamed Damien to admit that for the most part, Damien hadn't asked about families. He took a very surface level interest in his friends, and always had; an old girlfriend had once described it as an almost sociopathic trait of his, but it was in fact a defence mechanism bred by a mother that abandoned him and a father that kept letting him down.

He shook his head. He didn't have time to mope or dwell on things. He had to fixate in on getting through graduation and then he'd already been told the squad he was to be given command of, made up of his ranger team, was to be placed on detached duty; given free reign over where they went, so long as it wasn't an emergency situation. Normally, it was a privilege reserved for the most seasoned of squads, but given their unique position, it made sense to give the rangers freedom of movement throughout the Alliance.

Still, before that, they had to get through graduation day, and it was already shaping up to be just another let down.

 

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