I thought I found you in the one with whom, 
I watched the Lakers and Knicks throw hoops like we used to on Sunday afternoons. 
He looked like you too, stocky, dark and strong.
And like you, his self-worth was measured through, the one he depended on.
And just like you, his trouble came in the form of the one chosen to carry on - you.
See, when she was born, your number one days were done, and you stubbornly held on fighting with everyone as you went along.
That's when I found out, he can hit like you too and that's why I left.

And then, I thought we met again when my new friend, like you, lived far away in another land.
And like when I was 9, he kept an open line for promises largely unkept.
I remember waiting with bated breath, unwilling to accept that as usual you'll forget 
He was also like you in the way he talked me into giving up what I needed for me - to you.
And like us in my teens, I saw him in between all the dreams he was working on making come true - for you.
He boxes like you too dad - socks one right under the eye.
That's how I realized the time had come again for me to fly.

On one search I thought I'd found you in the midst of your struggles with drugs, while dwelling with society's slugs.
And again, I took you in, trying to mend broken fences.
It was déjà vu, watching you and him lose to demons determined to breach your defenses.
And like you, he was relentless in his mission to deny me permission to make my own decisions, dad.
It made me so mad that after all the ups and downs we've had, you still saw me as bad. So, I had to run again dad.


Last time I went off course, drawn to the source of your powerful aura and charisma.
And just like you, his confidence drew me into believing that he'd be sure to deliver.
But just like you, trusting this new friend proved a dead end again, dad.
Cause, just like you, he stole a bit of my soul when he dug out my eye, looking for gold.
And like you, to gain a hold, he used deception alternated with rejection
Playing mind games to misrepresent facts and create the impression, his possessions, household and work were all under tight control. 
It was time for this game to end man.  So I had to leave once again, dad.