Ready, Set, Don’t Go
“Hi Daddy!” Lindsay said when Joe got home. She may have been 12, but she still acted like a little kid sometimes.
“Hey there, Lindsay.” He ran over to her and hugged her. She was his little girl and he never wanted to let her go. She was growing up way too fast, in his perspective at least.
“So how was your day?” She asked him.
“Good.”
“Good? Just good? Not even really good?”
“Lindsay.”
“Sorry, dad. But you have been not really yourself lately.”
“Linds, I don’t want to talk about this right now, okay?”
He had been this way for a few years now, ever since his wife died. They both tried to get over it quickly, but nothing could quite fill the void in Lindsay’s life like a mother.
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6 years later…
“Babe, I found a great college for you.” Joe said to Lindsay.
“ HARVARD?! But, dad, I already told you, I want to go to Northwestern, that music college.”
“You can study to be a vet, like I always wanted you to. And when you were little, you told me that’s what you wanted to be.”
“No, dad! You don’t understand! I want to be a rock star!”
“But--”
“You were able to follow your dreams when you were my age, so why can’t I?!”
“Well, I, you’ll make good money.”
“I don’t care about the money! I want to follow my dream, dad. Haven’t you learned that?”
“Lindsay.”
“It’s ever since mom died! Mom always told me that I should follow my dreams, not what everyone else says. You don’t want to let me go, but I’m not going to be your little girl forever, okay?!”
“Not another word.”
“Fine!”
Lindsay ran to her room, trying to hold back the tears until she got there. She slammed the door and locked it, then bawled like a baby when it loses it’s pacifier.
She’s gotta do
What she’s gotta do
And I’ve gotta like it or not
She’s got dreams
Too big for this town
And she needs to give them a shot
Wherever they are
Time passed quickly when Lindsay was just sitting there weeping her fragile little heart out. Before she knew it, it was 3:00 in the morning. She had tossed and turned as much as she could, trying to fall asleep. But how could she when her own father was the one shattering her dreams? She finally decided that there was no way she was going to get to sleep. So she got out of bed and pulled out her pencil and a piece of paper. She wrote to her dad:
Dad, by the time you read this, I’ll probably be halfway to grandma’s. I just need some time to myself for a few days so that I can think everything over. I didn’t want to hurt you, I just wanted you to know that I deserve a chance to follow my dreams like you did when you were my age, okay? It’s not what I’d usually say, but I have to do this. I know you don’t want to let me go, but you raised me to fend for myself and to follow my dreams, whatever they may be. Please understand that I am not running away, I just need to have some Lindsay-time.
-Lindsay.
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So that night, she went to grandma’s house, and left the note on her bed. The next morning, Joe found it.
I don’t understand. He thought to himself I thought that she wanted me to help her build her future based on what I wanted her to do. I got to go to grandma’s. But as he headed to the door, something inside of him stopped him from going. One part of him wanted her to stay, the other knew it was time to let go.
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“Thanks for letting me stay here, Grandma.” Lindsay said.
“No problem, Lindsay.” She replied.
“He is so unfair. He got to follow his dreams when he was 18. So why can’t I?”
“Lindsay, I don’t know. He has been kind of stubborn his whole life.”
Both of them giggled.
“But why can’t he just realize that there are things in your life you have to let go?”
“Lindsay!” Joe said, walking in the door.
“Hide me!” She said to her grandmother.
“Linds, I’m not mad at you.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“Because I want you to come back home. We need to talk.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have left that note.”
“Come on.”
“No.”
“Lindsay!”
“Dad, you can’t control me anymore! I’m through with this. I’m technically considered an adult.”
“Not in my house!”
“Fine. I’ll come.”
“Let’s go.” They hopped in the car and drove home, neither of them looking or talking to the other.
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“Lindsay, we have to talk.” He said when they got home.
“Why? Why should I believe anything you say?”
“Listen to me! I’m willing to let you go to Northwestern.”
“Really?”
“If that’s what you really want to do, then I have no say in it.”
“Oh I love you dad!” She hugged him tightly.
Looks like she’s all ready to leave
Nothing left to pack
Ain’t no room for me in that car
Even if she asked me to tag along
But I gotta be strong
“That’s everything.” Lindsay said, stuffing the last bag into her car. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she was going to start her first day at Northwestern.
She’s at the starting line
Of the rest of her life
As ready as she’s ever been
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes
The prize is hers to win
She’s waiting on my blessings before
She hits that open road
Baby, get ready,
Get set,
Please don’t go
“Have fun.” Joe said to her. He kissed her forehead.
“Everything is falling into place, daddy.” She replied. He smiled at her.
She says things are falling in place
Feels like they’re falling apart
Painting a big old smile on my face
To hide my broken heart
If only she knew
“Dad.” Lindsay said, car packed, ready to leave.
“Yes?”
“You know I’d turn back the time if I could.”
“Oh, baby. Don’t say that.”
“Well, even I’m afraid right now. A college, people I don’t know.”
“Just remember what we talked about all your life. How you never should give up on your dreams. You’re going to this college so you can.”
“Daddy.” She hugged him one last time before she was to leave. Then she got into the car.
“Bye, sweetheart.”
“Bye, daddy.” The car left the driveway.
This is where I don’t say
What I want so bad to say
This is where I want to
But I won’t get in the way
Of her and her dreams
And spreading her wings
She’s at the starting line
Of the rest of her life
As ready as she’s ever been
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes
The prize is hers to win
She’s waiting on my blessings
Before she hits that open road
Well, baby get ready,
Get set,
Please don’t go
The End
