“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad”

"This ain't no party,
This ain't no Disco,
This ain't no foolin' around"

I have just about had it with my Dad. I called in after work today, and mentioned a few concerns I was having about life and work. This led to a uncalled for rant from him (bear in mind I was interrupting the cricket, for all of 15 seconds), something along the lines of, I come here and tell him all my problems, what do I expect him to do?(although to be honest a lot less coherently). I replied that if a child cannot expect to come to the family home and expect someone to listen to theirs woes, then where can he go?
Honestly, all my Dad wants to do is have a meal handed to him three times a day, watch sport on TV, flick aimlessly through hundreds of TV channels while the break is on , and sleep. Without wanting to sound childish, but inevitably doing so, I am just a annoyance on his peripheral vision, something that partially blocks his view of Sky Sports. He has never been an especially hands on father, although I'm sure he would dispute that claim. In the four years or so I have lived in this house, he has only visited me once, and that was the night I was assaulted (on the way home from work, not by him!). He stayed all of 10 minutes, never took hi coat of or even came near me and when I broke down and cried in front of him , he quickly made his excuses and left. He seems to think that because he didn't beat me, like his Dad apparently did, that makes him a good parent. sadly being ignored for 40 years isn't the desired alternative.

I finally give up.

“Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, and don't have any kids yourself.” - Philip Larkin