Keeping it in the family-07/14/2011

In the beginning....

Surprisingly, this idea began when I was thirty three years old during a game of Texas Hold 'em with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. The alcohol was flowing the cards were being delt and as usual, the conversation turns to those in our family who we find ourselves most guarded against.

For us, unfortunately, it is our Parents, for my Aunt it is my Grandmother, my Uncles, he does not care. Now, these relatons are not independent of one another, as these people in our Family cause great angst and pain for all of us in their own way.To be fair to them, our conversaton only is directed this way because it is my Wife's fable attempt to understand these people we guard ourseleves against, bless her heart.

At one point during the conversation my Wife turns to my Aunt and asks, "how did your mother come to marry Chris' Grandfather, he was like 20 years younger than her?"

Reasonable question, no doubt, my Wife was fairly new to the intimate details our family tree.

My Aunt flipidly remarks, as she looks to me for confirmation, "Well your mother was not going to take care of him!" The alcohol must have taken its hold, because it took a minute to register both to myself and my Wife. "What do you mean," she exclaims, I don't understand?" My Aunt declares, still looking at me, well, she was married to him...twice!"

Now, in hearing this my head begins to swim with all the memories of childhood and young adulthood, and my Aunt could tell, despite all of the things that our family had put us through, the stories, the lies, that this was not a piece of information I had been privy to before now, I in fact could offer no confirmation.

I sat stunned staring back at my Aunt, as she sat stunned shaking her head at my own ignorance...