Josh ShahryarVerified account

Bear in mind, this was my first "going out" in over a month. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do mind-altering drugs. NADA!

I go, "But why shouldn't I go out?" He says, "When you're at night, I'm scared ppl will pick you up. Bad things will happen."

"But dad, why would anyone do that to me?" "I don't know. I can't trust anyone. And I can't trust this place. Not with this president."

"So you think if I have no money, and never go out, nothing will happen to me?" He looks at me... thinks... then says, "Yes. I think so."

Then he quickly says, "But I know. This is crazy. You are a grown man. You have gray hair for god's sake. But I'm scared of all of this."

"Nothing will happen to me. You know I'm a teetotaler. And you know I don't hang out with bad people. And we have laws." He says nothing.

My dad is 65. He's lost too many friends and family to war. To being a refugee. Too much trauma in there. He doesn't have to say anything.

I hug him. I'm not sure I want to go out for a while, really... How can you have *fun* when you know your parents are up, crying.