When I say my father is Batman, I’m not saying he witnessed his parents’ murder, or has a billion dollars in the bank, or that he has evolved into an American psycho obsessed with bats. When I say my father is Batman, I mean that he is a superhero without superpowers.
For the majority of my life, my father has been a mysteriously stoic figure dishing out justice to the best of his ability while simultaneously trying to be the protector of the family. My earliest memory of his demeanor was most like the Michael Keaton version of Batman—strong, low-key, and not all that chatty. As I grew older, he started acting more like the Adam West version of Batman—loud, campy, and full of puns—but he never lost the one trait that makes Batman so great.
Batman takes care of people.
My father does so much without asking for credit or even a thank you, although it’s the least we can give to show our gratitude. He has worked tirelessly to provide for my mother, my sister, my brother, and myself, and he even brought penniless family members into our home when no one else would, all the while ensuring they lived a comfortable and happy life while under his roof.
One of the main things that has stuck with me through the years is the intense security his presence brings. I remember being a rather paranoid child, but if I had my father by my side, it didn’t matter how much danger I was in. There was no force on Earth that could get to me if he was near.
This unrealistic expectation stayed with me as I grew older, and I still find myself cool, calm, and collected at the notion that he’s an unstoppable force capable of protecting me from anything. Get caught in a rip current? Forget the lifeguards. Dad will paddle over and fish me out. Need emergency funds right this second? Apply now at the National Bank of Dad. Homeless? I hope this never happens to me, but I know if it does, I'll always have a place to sleep under his roof.
Like Batman, my father is an unsung hero, and he prefers it that way. His kindness and dedication are not acts he puts on to gain the approval of others. He doesn’t complain when his good deeds go unrecognized because, like the caped crusader, he doesn’t do it for attention or glory or fame—he does it because it is the right thing to do.
I know I don’t say it often enough, but I am proud of my father and his accomplishments. Unlike me, he worked his way up from the bottom and never asked for help or handouts. Instead, he worked gruelingly to ensure I didn’t have to.
Even though my father may not wear a cape, he’s still my favorite superhero.
