He asked

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This one has been knocking about in the grey matter for a while, years in fact. Today whilst listening to the Traveling Wilburys (the greatest Super Group of all time), I decided it's time to put it down.

We all know the story of the prodigal son. If ya don't know the story, click the link. Now that we're all up to speed more or less, I draw your attention to the end of the story. At the end, the son who never left asked the father why he didn't get such things as the returning son. Dad explained all the son had to do was ask.

The implication is the son never asked.

What if the son did ask?

Yevver been there?

Pick one of the three people. Dad. Prodigal Son. Other Son.

Me, I'm taking the side of the Other Son today. I do not refer to my biological family in this piece.

Been there, done that. Dutiful son. Showed up. Worked. Did what I was asked to do.

P.S. departed. Packed up and hauled out for parts unknown. Said wasn't coming back and threw his house key at me & Dad.

Dad looked at me. I looked at Dad. I said, "Well, I'll be glad to step in and pick up the slack. What he was doing, I can do."

Dad looked at me.

I then offered to do other things. He continued to look at me. Bear in mind I was not asking him to kill the fat calf for a party for me. Rather, I was offering to step up and take care of things that needed to be handled. I was doing this because those things needed doing. Yes, this did include taking on more responsibilities and would have elevated me in the family's overall hierarchy. I wasn't after that, but there to help.

Dad walked away. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to what I had been doing. We all trucked along, things not getting done, despite my offering to step in again. Things did head into negative territory in a bloody hurry too.

P.S. returned to much fanfare. He was immediately restored to his positions, duties and responsibilities, even though he left and specifically said he wanted nothing to do with it any more.

Before you accuse me of being resentful, lemme say right here. I was.

I stayed. He left. I asked. I was denied. P.S. comes back and without asking is put right back to where he was before he left as if nothing ever happened.

I admit to some mild resentment over this. However, my major issue was that I did ask and I was denied and rejected. He comes back and goes right back to what he was doing before.

Lemme ask you, what would your reaction be under these circumstances?