Doyouhaveanypets?Inmyhousethereisaverysloppy"PIG".Yes,heisverysloppy.HealwayswatchesTVinhisunderwear!EvenifIamthere!Assoonashecomeshomehetakesoffhissmellysocksandthrowsthemalloverthelivingroom!Atnighthealwaystossesaroundinhisbed,makinglotsofnoise!Itisterrible!Worsestillhepretendstoknoweverythingandheisreallystubborn.Haveyoueverseenapiglikethatbefore!Ithinkyouhaveneverseenone.Becausethispigismyfather!

　　Ithinkmanygirlsmyagefeelthesamewayabouttheirfather.Ihaveheardstoriesaboutotherfatherstoo.Myfriendsaid,"Myfatherisreallybad!HelikestowatchbaseballgamessoIcanneverwatchmyfavoriteTVprogram!Heisalwayssmoking,andhefightswithmymother!Ireallydonotlikethat!"Myfatherdoesnotsmoke,doesnotdrink,nevergetsangryandheissokind.Ithinkheisaveryniceman.However,livingwithmyfathersometimesmakesmeirritated.

　　Mymothertriedtotellme,"Yourfatherishelpingmanypeopleasadoctor."Iknowthatmyfatherisadoctorandhisworkisveryimportant.ButIhaveneverseenhimworkingandIcannotimaginewhathisjobislike.Ionlyknowabouthisworkfromtheconversationshesometimeshaswithnursesonthetelephonelateatnight.ButIcannotunderstandthembecausethewordsheusesaredifficult.Ionlyknowmyfatherathome.Yes,afatherlikeaPIG!

　　Butonedaymyfatherbecameverysickandhewastakentothehospital.Hebecameillbecauseofstressfromhisworkandalsostressfromus.Maybe,especiallyme.Henevertalkedwithusabouthisworkandnevertalkedaboutthepressurehewasunder,Ididnotunderstandhowhardhewasworking.Iwastoobusywithschoolandmyownlifetonotice.IalsooftenignoredhimandIwasnotalwaysagooddaughter.WhenIfoundoutwhyhebecamesick,IwasupsetandIcouldnotsleepwell.Hewasworkingforus.ButIhadbeenunkindtohimandIwasungrateful.

　　Aftermyfathergotbetter,Idecidedtogetclosertohim.Afterall,heismyfatherandIcareforhim.SoonedayIdecidedtotrytotalktohim.HeisveryinterestedinJapanesehistory,soIaskedhimmanyquestionsandwetalkedforalongtime.Heactuallytalkedwithmelongerthanhedidwithmymotherthatday.Iwassohappy.Afterthat,wewentfishing,wewenttothepoolandwetalkedforalongtime.HeandIbecamefriends.

　　Sincethetimemyfatherwashospitalized,myattitudetowardhimhaschangedlittlebylittle.Irealizedhowimportantitisforchildrentomakeanefforttobecomeclosertotheirparents.Iwanttocommunicatewithmyfatherandtalkaboutwhatisgoingoninourlives.NowIthinkthatmyfatheriscool.HeworkshardtohelpmanypeopleandIamproudofhim.

　　Soeveryone,thisismyidea.Whydon'tyoutalkwithyourfathertoday?Itisimportantespeciallyforyougirlswhodonotlikeyourfathers.Ifyoutry,maybeyouwillfindyourfatherisahandsomeprince,notapig!Evenbetteryourfatherandyouwillgettoknoweachother.Let'stryittoday!