Work 5 : Mandom

 

  Theodore admired his father greatly. For hours, he’d watch his father construct and build, bending tough metals to his will, felling the great oaks around their house, and providing a comfortable life for himself and his mother. As his father was the local handyman, it was no wonder that many knew of his family and had a reputation that Theodore found curious. Many times, he’d hear someone discuss something with his father and, either in jest or in all seriousness, they would accuse his father of “ruling with an iron fist.”

  One day, as his father rested in his favorite armchair after a day of hard work, Theodore approached him and asked if he could have a set of iron hands as well, so he could be just as talented.

His father laughed to this. “Now, where do you get this idea?”

“The people in town.” Theodore explained. “They said you live with iron hands or fists.”

Theodore’s father laughed once again, confusing Theodore greatly.

“Come here.” His father calmly commanded, patting his lap.

He obeyed the order and climbed onto his father’s lap. His father then extended his hands before him.

“Now, I don’t have iron hands, son. But what I do have is experience. Experience that let me learn to deal with both men and women. What you hear are usually people who wanted to trick me and got hurt doing so.”

“So, if I had iron hands, I’d be hurting people?” A saddened Theodore asked.

His father chuckled once again. “No. Just those who deserve it. Only one part of wielding iron hands. The other part of this is holding a confident love. I’ve never once hurt your mother. Those who hurt their loved ones are undeserving of being called men, or Mandom, as my father’s father once said.”

“Mandom?”

“It’s what we know as the level it takes to be a true man of the world. When you can move and speak with an unyielding confidence and can amass a certain level of love and respect from all, even your enemies. You’ll be able to protect all those dear to you once you achieve this stage, son. So, live well and live right.”

 Taking note of his father’s proud smile, Theodore turned his gaze to his hands. Would his own experience make him as strong as his father? Would he be able to hold everything he held dear safely? Isolating an image an image of his father and mother in his mind, he clenched his fists and promised to be a great as he could, for his father’s sake and for his honorary place in Mandom.