One morning in 1995, wife went
alone for the parents’ meeting. On departure, 4-year-old daughter asked why father
had not come. Wife explained that father was busy, and so was mother, “Mom and
dad will not be able to be with you the coming weekend.” To appease her discontent, wife promised that the absconded father would talk with her over the phone that evening. Hearing this
she took a little bit heart. In the late afternoon before joining in a dinner party
with her former comrades-in-arms, she reminded me again not to forget to give
daughter a call. And this I did at 6:30pm. The line was connected. Supper just
over, she was now absorbed in a TV cartoon. Eyes glued to the screen, she responded casually to me, totally leaving behind what had happened in the morning.