*snort* so you are saying I owe the sperm doner that knocked up my mother love and respect because he called himself my father?
you have confused being a sperm or egg provider with being a parent
I figured you knew enough of my story to relize what I was referencing. He didn't leave my life till I kicked his ass out.
He was a parent. A very, very bad one. He changed diapers, cooked dinners and dawdled me on his knee to watch Knightrider.
He also tried to drink himself to death regularly, failed to keep pretty much every promise he ever made and refused to accept the notion that I didn't want to have anything to do with him because being around him hurt too much and scared me.
Like I said, good parents earn respect, love and care from their children.
Bad ones don't.
I owe him nothing for what he did do for me. I don't owe him for the few child support payments he actually made, the presents he remembered to send, the weekly phone calls he made when he was sober (till I refused to talk to him anymore) or anything else he gave me.
Well, except maybe a right hook, a fist in his gut and a knee to the balls. I could give him that much.
Conversly, I would give anything for the man I call Dad to be happy, and I am very aware of the fact that he didn't have to do what he did, but did it anyway. He actually didn't have any obligations to me, as a parent.
I would think earning that kind of love to be more rewarding anyway.