Essay: Reunion byJohn Cheever

Lei Dennis-Osuagwu
09-12-08
2A-B
ESSAY
REUNION: By, John Cheever

They always say a father’s pride is his son; a father should always cherish the moments he has with hi son, even if it is a minute or a second because every little time spent makes a difference in a son’s life. A father should never be negligent of a son’s feelings and always hear out his thoughts and ideas, always be open to suggestions.
All this was what this father did not do; he neglected his son’s feelings and never took the time to know Cheever’s interests at all. At this point where they both have finally seen each other again after a long time without contact, his father decides to make a fool out of himself and embarrass him and his son, by acting inappropriately at every restaurant they went, he was rude to the waiter at the first restaurant by yelling “Kellner”, “Garcon”, Comeriere! You!” which thought was very inappropriate, after the waiter asked him if it was him he was clapping at, the father answered him very sarcastically. At the Second restaurant, he ordered the waiter the same way he did the first, in a very rude manner, after the waiter questioned him about age the age of his son, he immediately jumped at the waiter, disrespected him and opted to leave. At the third and fourth restraints, the father was much more rude, he called the third an “impudent domestic”, and at the fourth and final restaurant he basically told the captain and the waiter to go to hell.
Being that this man was a full grown man, I was highly disappointed at the behavior he showed in the presence of his son, he didn’t seem to show any regard to his son, he wasn’t a leader, and didn’t show good example of how a real man should behave in public. In other aspects some would say his behavior was quite comedic because of his accent, gestures and maybe facial expressions. I personally felt sorry for Cheever for being put in such horrid situation with his father. This one time that he was able to see his father was ruined by his father’s manner less behavior, his father never took the time to consider his feelings, never asked himself question’s such as, “would my son feel this is appropriate behavior”?, “ Is this what he considers to be right”?, “is this acceptable to him”? And “How does he see me”? All this is what I would consider and ask myself if I was Cheever’s father.