Shhh…

Silence. Shhh.

My dad stood at my door yesterday. I was updating my list of books.

“What?” I asked.

“What?” he answered.

I got up from my bed and went to my bookshelf, ignoring him and waiting for him to say something.

Three times I asked. Three times he answered.

I went back to reading from my laptop screen. I put my earphones back in my ears but didn’t resume playing the music. I didn’t notice he was gone, until now.

He went without saying anything.

I’m leaving, soon.

And so is he.

Silence is the universal refuge… — Thoreau