Into the dark wood

My father died long ago. I now understand that he was part of the lost world of the stoical conservative middle class.

Midway along the journey of our life
I woke to find myself in a dark wood,
For I had wandered off from the straight path.
Dante Alighieri

The other night I dreamt about my father. He was stood looking out of a window at our old family home. It was raining and he was watching it fall across the garden. He turned and asked me what I had wanted from him that day shortly before he died. I knew the day he was referring to.