“I decided to never tell my children what my occupation is and what I do for a living because I didn’t want them to feel bad or be ashamed of me. I always wanted to avoid this, that was my intention from the beginning.
My youngest daughter asked me from time to time what I do for a living, but I always tried to avoid her question and gave evasive answers. I simply told her that I am a worker and changed the subject as quickly as possible so that she would forget what she asked me.
Before I went home to my family, every day I got a shower in public bathrooms because I thought that in this way I will arrive home clean and my children will not suspect what I do or ask questions about it.
I did all these things so that they wouldn’t suspect anything and wouldn’t start investigating to find out what their father does during the day. For me, the education of my girls was the most important, I wanted them to focus on education and continue their studies without being worried and without feeling bad for me.
I wanted my girls to hold themselves with respect in front of other people. All I wanted less was for someone to think less of them as everyone thought of me.
I was always embarrassed by other people, that’s why I decided that every income I have will go towards my girls’ education. I want something completely different for them, I want them to have a different life from mine.
Instead of buying new clothes with the money I had, I decided that the wisest thing I could do was to buy books for my girls.
I only asked that they earn my respect in return for our relationship. I worked in cleaning.
Before the day when my daughter was going to apply for college, I didn’t manage to have the money she needed for the application.
That day I couldn’t work, that’s why I had no money. I didn’t know how to stop crying so that my daughter wouldn’t see me, but inside I felt terrible because I couldn’t give her what she needed.
All my colleagues were looking at me, but no one came to ask me how I was or if I needed anything.
I was only thinking about the moment when I would get home and my daughter would ask me about the money for the college application. I really didn’t know what to answer. I felt so bad because I was not successful in life, at least enough to give my children what they need.
My family had a small income, and I always believed that nothing nice or happy could happen to a man who has such a small income and struggles from day to day.
After the work schedule ended, something completely unexpected happened to me. All my colleagues came to sit next to me and offered me all their income from that day.
I tried to refuse them, but I didn’t even get to finish what I had to say because they said that our children must go to college to have a better life than we have now.
I was speechless because of their wonderful gesture. That day I decided not to go to public bathrooms to take a shower and I decided it was time to go home in my work clothes.
One of my children has already finished her studies and won’t let me go to work anymore.
My eldest daughter is already working, and the other three daughters are paying for their studies by themselves.
I still want to go to work, but my eldest daughter tells me that I must at least let her drive me to work.
Also, my daughter always brings me and my work colleagues lunch.
One day they asked her why she was doing this, and she replied that she would always be grateful that they all didn’t eat one day to help her go to college.
I am very proud of all my children and I no longer feel like a poor man. How could I be a poor man when I have wonderful children?”
