A Little About Family

I was a poor white girl living in Oklahoma.  Well, not really poor but we never had a lot of extras.  I didn't notice what we had or didn't have except to realize I probably wouldn't get something if I asked for it unless it was close to Christmas.  I was taught never to ask about finances because it would be met with a steely stare and no answer.  My dad thought the family finances were a taboo subject.  As was the subject of sex.  My parents had the neighbors over on holidays and maybe had a couple of highballs.  My grandfather was an alcoholic so alcohol was not given out in our house.  My dad, God love him was what was considered a dry drunk by AA standards.  That meant he had all the tendencies of an alcoholic but didn't drink. 

I have a younger sister.  Two years younger.  She, I fear, got the alcoholic gene in our family.  No one knows how much she drinks because she hides it.  I remember one time being with her for the first time in years and saying, "Let's go get drunk," thinking that I would buy a couple of beers for each of us.  I asked her how much beer she needed to fulfill this obligation and she told me it would take at least a couple of six packs.  I was horrified and told her she would have to buy her own beer.  I didn't really start learning about alcoholism until then.

My sister gave up the idea of having a man when she was still in her twenties although I think if your only qualifications of having a man are that they can dance good and are built well you will fall short of the brain train when acquiring your sweetie.  After three failed attempts at relationships and each of the men she picked going through her savings and or stealing from her she gave it up.  She always thought all the guys I dated were losers.  I married a successful business man and she has five cats. 

She's the little bald one.  Funny how you look at photos from way back and know all about that person and think about the what ifs.