Years later, an American college denied him admission, so he hopped on a plane, walked right up to the professor's office ladden with beer, and spent the night talking, cursing, and laughing. The professor wrote up a gleaming letter of recommendation, and the college turned around and admitted him.

...

My dad always tells me that he did poorly in college. He spent all his time chasing girls, partying, and having a good time. He warned me never to do that in school. Unfortunately, I followed his advice.

Despite his lax scholastic habits, he graduated, married, settled down, and worked his way up in a company in Southern California.

Then, the company evaluator told my father that he didn't have the personality, charisma, or mind for business. He was a Research Scientist, and already at the top of his department. He shouldn't expect any more. So my dad had two choices; bear with it and stay stuck, or quit his job.

Instead, he single-handedly forged an International Business Department and convinced the company that Asia was the way to expand. Now people flock to join his team so they can travel and explore the new frontier. Some learned Chinese. Everyone tells me that my father is charming, intelligent, and charitable.

...

I was home from college one day and my mother was having a snack. She's always reading a Chinese periodical. I was surprised when it was a Sandman comic in her hand.

"Where did you get that?!"

"Your brother has a lot of them. He leaves them around the house, so I borrowed them."

"They're mine! I gave it him to read! When did you start reading comics?"

"They're interesting. Don't you want your mother reading your books?"

"No no. Go ahead. I have the latest issue here..." Then she went on to tell me she loves science fiction, especially Star Trek. She waits for me to come home to watch sci-fi movies because my father always falls asleep in the theater and that just annoys her.

If only I knew all this in high school. We would have gotten along so much better. So, really, what was I rebelling against?

popup footnote code stolen without permission from bluishorange