Dad Loves Me
“Do you know that your son has bullied mercilessly and beaten a lot of pupils in this school, especially those in his class? Just the other day, a parent came to me insisting that Jack injured her at the right leg! It took the grace of all members of staff to seriously address this issue. This is the very reason I invited you here. Of course, you know this is not your first time of coming to hear issues like this about your son. But I want you to please teach your son good manners. Else, you’ll leave the management no choice remove him from the school’s Students Register!” Miss Dean, proprietress, talking to Mr. Phelps on his son’s character.
Mr. Phelps and his son, Jack, leaved in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. A single father, he had single-handedly been raising Jack for the past seven years, since he was born. His mother, Jane got divorced, six months after he was born, on grounds of her infidelity and drug addiction. Taking total custody of seven-year-old Jack, who was always fond of asking after his mother, was a difficult task to Mr. Phelps. Working through the day, only to come to pick his son up from the Monte Nursery and Primary School was headache to him.For a long time, he’d been thinking of striking the balance between his work activities and having time for Jack. The devised a formula was to tell him his favorite bedtime story every night: ‘The Cat’s Love for his Kittens’ on conditions he hears good reports from the school’s principal about his behavior. “Jack, I want you to promise me that you’ll be the good Jack I want you to be I don’t want to hear that you beat up your classmates. If you don’t beat them again, I’ll tell you the story, ‘The Cat’s Love For his Kittens’, every night.”
In his kiddish voice, Jack replied: “I will not beat anybody again! Dad, I want you to tell me that story all the time!
“I’ll, Jack!” assured Mr. Phelps who was setting out for work and preparing him for school, “Make sure you don’t bully or beat anybody. Do you remember what dad use to say when you get to beat your classmates?”
“I know!” Jack answered, as he was about entering the car with him, “a good name is better than all the silvers and golds combined!”
He drove Jack to school and off to work. Reports from Jack’s head teacher dictated that Jack no longer bully or beat up his fellow pupils in class. To Mr. Phelps, this was a great mile in the right direction. Jack would go to sleep without being told his favorite bedtime story. He would say: “Jack, I’ll do tell you tomorrow! I’m pretty tired! I need some rest to prepare for work.” This attitude of his persisted until Jack couldn’t take it any longer. On a certain night, Jack went to his bedroom and sat by his bedside to remind him: “Daddy, you’re yet to tell me my favorite story. You promised you’ll tell me two days ago but you didn’t. Remember youtold me that if I stop fighting and harassing my classmates in school, you’ll tell me the story. You made a promise to me. And remember that you told me a promise is a debt! I want you to please tell me the story. I can’t sleep! Daddy, please tell me know!”
Mr. Phelps was left with no other choice than to give in. He stood up; with his head-to-torso parts of his body facing the vertical, made Jack sit on his laps as he told the story: “I am sorry for not telling you the story before now. This is the very story…
A long time ago in the land of the Jungle, the Mr. and Mrs. Cat got married. They had four kittens. They were all living together until they came a time where the pregnant Mrs. Cat was   around in the house, exposing the little kittens to all kinds of birds in the air. Mr. Cat had gone to hunt for food for the family. Far above the earth surface, the flying eagle sighted the exposed kittens and dived in such a way as to preying on them. Fortunately, Mrs. Cat’s sensitive character came in handy when she hurriedly covered her kittens. She used the last strength she had because she was almost due for delivery of her fifth kitten. All the kittens survived but she died with the kitten inside her stomach because she was too weak to fight with the stronger eagle.
The lesson here is that in life, we have to sacrifice the best for the sake of our loved ones. That is what I’ve been doing, I’m doing and I’ll continually do as long as I live and I see you staying alive all the time!
That’s the end of my story!” “Are you ready to go to bed, son?” He asked, after telling the story, lying on his back on the bed.Yes, Daddy”, answered Jack who was actually looking tired, while laying his head on his laps, “I want to sleep. It’s an interesting story! “I want to hear more of that every night! I would like to sleep in your room. Can you allow me sleep on the bed with you?” Jack requested
“Of course, my boy!” Mr. Phelps enthusiastically replied as he prepared the sleeping portion of the bed for Jack.
As soon as he knew Jack was asleep; Mr. Phelps went to Jack’s room, searched his bag and brought out one of his notebooks he was using in school. At the back of the notebook, he was inspired to pen down a poetic identity, which he titled: Dad Loves Me. In weeks to come, Jack’s Monte Nursery and Primary School would join the rest of the world to mark World Father’s Day with the his work written on the back of Jack’s notebook!
Mr. Phelps was invited by the school’s management for a chat. At first, Mr. Phelps wasn’t comfortable with the request; he decided to turn up the invitation for the first time. When Jack’s dad got to the office of the proprietress, he was warmly welcomed by Miss Dean who offered him a seat. Just by looking at his countenance, she knew he was ready to go. The discussion began with her setting the ball rolling…
Miss Dean, all smiling, said, “First of all, I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ for honoring this invitation. I’m very grateful for availing yourself upon my invitation. Second, it’s a good thing to know that Jack, has really changed for good!|
Mr. Phelps replied:”You’re welcome!” He was showing indifference.
Miss Dean went on:  Back to what I invited you here for…we decided not tell you the reason why we invited you here because we felt it would be better to let you know how grateful we are for what you done!”
Mr. Phelps, looking surprised, asked: “What have I really done to deserve this encomium?!”
 “Good question! Let me tell you why. Miss Natasha, Jack’s head teacher was going through his Basic Science notebook when she saw at the back of the notebook, the poetry work, ‘Dad Loves Me’. She loved the work-piece and decided to bring to my office for my perusal, knowing well that I’m an avid reader of poetry. When she brought it to my office, I liked the construction of the work. I knew no doubt that the writing was yours, going by our past written communication. Next week will be the world Father’s Day. And we, the management, intend to use your work for the event. Would like to know if you can give me the ‘green light’ with the work or not.”
“Wow! I never knew that this scribbled piece of poetic design could arouse any interest. I was inspired to write, though I love poetry a lot. It was after ensuring that Jack was asleep that I decided to check his note books and wrote at the back of one of them. Funny enough, I never knew I wrote it at the back of his Basic Science Notebook!  You’re free to use for the Father’s Day celebration.I hope I’ll be invited!”
Miss Dean happily appreciated: “We’ll send you an Invitation Card within the next twenty hours! I am particularly grateful for permitting us to go ahead with this!”
“Anything for the success of the event is my concern!”
“It’s nice chatting with you. I’m sorry I’ve to take a class! See you at the Father’s Day event!”
“Okay” Responded Mr. Phelps as he stood up. He and Miss Dean left the office.
The D-day: Father’s Day Celebration at the Monte Nursery and Primary School
We are celebrating Father’s Day! Father’s Day is a date marked by the world to celebrate our fathers. Without her fathers, we won’t be in this world! Today is a special day for the male teachers in this school. Pupils, when you see any grown up male around you, say to him: ‘Happy Father’s Day Celebration!’ We need to celebrate our fathers!
I thank you all for attending this special event. Parents, teachers, associates, well-wishers and most importantly, our pupils who have come to mark this yearly event had made our day a memorable one.
To achieve this, I will be calling on Miss Natasha to recite a poem, titled ‘Dad Loves Me.’ please, respond to every line she reads once. This event will not take your time. We are marking this event in the children's way. So, don’t be in a haste to go. Rather, savor the beauty of Father’s Day event with your children and wards. Thank You!
(Miss Natasha steps forward). With the microphone on her right hand and the paper on her left, she read:                           
                            Dad Love Me
                        Dad loves me                             

                     Because He made me me
                      Dad makes me trust him
                   Because he washed my dim
                          Dad makes me strong
                     Because he made me not want
                           Dad makes me smile
                    Because he took care of my file
                           Dad makes me sleep well
                           Because he made me well
                               Dad makes me work
                              Because he made me walk
                                    Dad makes me obey
                            Because he kept ‘bad’ at bay
                            Dad makes me pass life’s test
                            Because he made me life’s best
                            Dad makes me read my books
                         Because he made me the nook
                                  Dad makes me a way
                               Because he made me pray
                                 Dad makes me alive
                                Because he gave me a life
                           Dad makes me like everyone
                       Because he made love anyone
                                                                                                                     Dad makes me preach
                                                                                                                  Because he made me teach
                                                                                                                       Dad makes me modest
                                                                                                                Because he made me honest
                                                                                                                                 Dad makes me eat
                                                                                                                           Because he made me fit

                                     Daddy loves me always!                                            That’s why love him too!

Happy Father’s day!!! Sounds of applause filled the atmosphere as Miss Natasha took to her seat. Mr. Phelps, together with other parents, friends and associates, expressed satisfaction as the event reached its closing.

The poem was published by three British newspapers
Encouraged to write more, Mr. Phelps wrote three other works-My Father and My Child, Children and their Fathers and The Love of My Son, his Father-all poetry collections. They were all used in the following hit movies in the UK
1)      Dear me, Son!
2)      The Son’s Attraction and
3)      The Love for Children

Mr. Phelps later got married to Miss Dean and settled in British Colombia, Canada. Miss Natasha went on to be the proprietress of Monte Nursery and Primary School.