Dan. The Next Chapter.

The phone rang here yesterday afternoon.

"Hello?" I said.

"Yes, may I please speak to Dan Pringle?"

It was a woman's voice.

"He's not here right now," I answered truthfully. "Can I ask who's calling?"

"It's Yasmine from Video Deal. We were wondering if Dan's still interested in a job with us. He applied here a few months ago."

It was the video rental place just down the street. A five minute walk from home. My home. A forty-five minute drive from his mother's home in Acton. I want my boy to have a job, Ms J. And I am aware of the ramifications. He'd have to return to live with me. But he'd have a job. He'd be out of the house for a while each day. He wouldn't be underfoot here every minute of every day. It would be more tolerable. And it would be another lesson for Dan. Another step along his journey to self- discovery.

"OK, Yasmine," I said. "I'll see if I can contact Dan and ask him to phone you."

I hung up the phone and sat quietly for a moment. A part of me wished that he'd stay at Kelly's house and leave me to my quiet home and my solitary Life. But the "father" part of me recognized this as another opportunity for my son. A second chance as it were, to begin a Life of his own here in Mimico. Away from the tears and guilt and deceit and drama of his martyr, er ... I mean mother.

I dialed Kelly's number. Dan answered.

"Hi Dad."

"Hi Dan. How are you feeling today?"

Small talk. Mustn't get too serious, too quickly.

"Pretty good, Dad. I'm just feeding Emily."

Emily is Dan and Meagan's half-sister. The product of Kelly's pathetic neediness. Tim's progeny. She's eleven months old. And adorable.

I took a deep breath, swallowed hard and plunged in.

"I just got a phone call from Video Deal, son. They're wondering if you might still be interested in a job there. The lady's name was Yasmine. She sounds quite nice."

The line went quiet for a moment and I could imagine the gears turning in The Boy's head.

"There's no use getting a job now, Dad. I'm going to Ohio to see Autumn in three weeks. Maybe I'll give them a call when I get home again."

I suggested, for the trillionth time, that it might be nice for him to have some money of his own. Maybe he could help his mum out a little as well. Kelly never misses an opportunity to bleat about how terribly impoverished she and Tim are, now that I no longer pay child support for Dan.

"Yeah, well ..."

I knew he'd try to change the subject. His mother is undisputed champion in that arena.

"What do think you might get me for Christmas, Dad? I'm too old for toys. And I don't really need any clothes. If you wanted, you could always just give me money. Like a hundred bucks or something. Yeah. And then if you got me a pair of pants, that would be great. That would be totally fine with me."

"Dan, I'm not sure you ---"

"And if you could possibly just give me half of my Christmas gift early," he continued, "you know. Like fifty bucks or so, I would have some money to take to Ohio. I had to cash my income tax cheque to buy my pills. Mum and Tim are broke until the end of the month. Tim got laid off, eh?"

I winced, rubbed my forehead and gazed out the front window. It was raining softly. A mongrel dog was busy tearing apart a trash bag across the street.

There's so much drama in The Boy's home. Always a crisis of some sort. A sick baby or a needy friend or his mum and Tim fighting about their lack of money. The dog needs his teeth pulled out. The cat needs new pills. Tim's shitbox car won't start and they're late for a doctor's appointment. Kelly and Dan arguing about who's turn it is to use the computer. Meagan screaming and crying, her young hormones spilling hot and salty down her cheeks. Honestly, Ms J. I don't know how the hell they can stand it!

"No Dan. I will not give you money to take to the States. You must get a job and pay your own way. You're going to have to do that Dan. I've paid for your passport. I've paid your bills for eighteen years. That's long enough. You know I love you, son. That's the Truth. And you're welcome to come live with me again. But you MUST have a job. You CANNOT live here unless you have a job. Those are the rules."

He seemed to accept it. He seemed to acquiesce rather quickly, actually. I think he probably knew what would happen but he felt he owed it to himself to try to continue his free ride. Stretch it out as long as possible. Hey! You can't blame a guy for trying, Ms Journal. Kelly's been a good teacher.

"OK Dad. What's the phone number for this Jasmine lady?"

"Yasmine."

"Whatever."

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That was yesterday. The Boy phoned me today to tell me he was coming to Mimico for a job interview. Tim is driving him. I hope Dan gets the job. And I look forward to getting to know this young man who's become like a stranger to me these past few years.

As we spoke this afternoon, I could hear the baby crying in the background and the television blaring and Kelly harassing him to get off the phone.

"You know what, Dad?" he said at last. "I'll be glad to get out of this freakin' zoo."

I could have hugged him.