"No.  No, just let me be." He went blindly to his own room, let himself in and bolted the door after him, leaned heavily with both hands gripping the foot of the bed.  My son, oh my son!  Would that I had died for thee!  He had had so much to live for... and an old fool that he respected too much had to shoot off his yap and goad him into a needless, useless martyrdom.  If Mike had given them something big-like stereo, or bingo - but he gave them the Truth.  Or a piece of the Truth.  And who is interested in Truth?  He laughed through his sobs.