"My Father Figure" by Akira Odani

 – With a friendly smile, he joked, “Akira, you caught a big fish!”

Some nights, my younger brothers and I would huddle around him, pleading for his stories.

Akira Odani lives in the historic city of St. Augustine, Florida. He is a member of the Taste Life Twice Writers’ Group and the Florida Writers Association. Born in Tokyo, he graduated from International Christian University and earned his Ph.D. in Chinese History from Brown University. Some of his work has appeared in the pages of FWA anthologies, Kaidankai (Japanese ghost stories), and several versions of the Personal Story Publishing Project. His passion for writing comes from his ambition to understand the mystery of life and the world.

Author’s Talk

Akira Odani

I have faced countless frustrations, disappointments, and defeats throughout my life. The obstacles that thwarted my dreams number in the hundreds, even after I let go of the unrealistic teenager’s hope of becoming a star tenor in Italian operas. My less-than-perfect eyesight, Asian facial appearance, absentee father, family bankruptcies in Tokyo, confused career pursuits, and financial and marital crises in the U.S. come to mind       

 I didn’t want to dwell on the minutia of these abandoned dreams or failed plans. I asked myself what event or person boosted my confidence and helped me become positive, optimistic, and ambitious, escaping cynicism. The query led me to my uncle, Taka, my mother’s younger brother.  

My mother was a vital force, the ground beneath my feet, yet I had to compete for her attention with my three siblings. My father neglected us. Uncle Taka was like a father to me, shining like the sun on bright days and resembling the full moon at night. He accepted me as I was and encouraged me to grow stronger, remain optimistic yet realistic, explore new frontiers, and sharpen my senses. I am grateful to him for inspiring me to pursue knowledge and appreciate life’s rewards.  

Since he died young, he taught me, in addition to his loving attention, an additional lesson about the fleeting and transient nature of our lives.