Hey All, There are times when we do things with the best of intentions...................only to have it come back and bite you in the butt. When you lead with your heart and not your head.............this can usually be the result.
Fall 1985. We were living at Grandmoms' house and Dads' sister had come to visit with her youngest son, Alex. Dad was home for good now..........................his truck parked along Rte 263 in front of the house. His health had deteriorated to the point that he was on SSI disability...............right up until he died. Alex was 16 at the time and his mother was having a rough time................... with his behavior.
Grandmoms' house was a refuge...........and a place for a new start. Many of her grandchildren lived under her roof., Carl was the first of Helens' sons.........our Grandparents stepping in to helping out when circumstances became unpleasant for the child. The next of Helens' boys was Drew.............he lived at Grandmoms, but Dad stood up for him as a guardian and father figure...................he was a handful, a disciplinary problem according to Dad. Alex came with his Mom on their visit in 1985. Helen asked Grandmom and Dad if they would consider taking Al in.................that's what we all called him. Dad and Grandmom both, told her that they just couldn't handle it............................then this idiot, decided that he would become responsible for Al. We all discussed the arrangements together..............Dad, Grandmom, Helen, Al and myself. The deal was that Al would take the trash out once a week.......do the dishes every other night..........take the dog out as necessary.............and bring in firewood when needed. An agreement was made and later the legal paperwork was notarized..............I was Als' guardian. He started school at CB East...............like Carl and Drew. Things went smoothly at first.......then Al started to renege on his agreement. I came home from work and the trash was not out.............I had to bring in firewood. I woke Al and had him do his chores...................at first it was okay and he complied. Then he became obstinate and defiant.
What occured next, I wasn't prepared for.................Al asked me to take him to a coin dealer as he had some old coins he wanted to sell. Problem was..................Grandmom had a pink plastic pig that was full of wheatsheaf pennys and other old coins....................it was on the dresser in Als' bedroom, where it was always kept....................it had disappeared. I put off taking him and investigated the loss as best as I could. Grandmom was up in arms............this was my fault for bringing Al in to her house..............she said that she held me personally responsible for her loss. Another night. when I got home from work at 1130pm......the trash wasn't out again. I went in and got Al out of bed........again. This time he told me to go and f*** myself...... I pushed him back down on his bed and told him to rethink his answer...................he only got up and yelled in my face............with the same reply. I told him to comply or pack his bags. He packed his bags. The next morning, I called Helen and informed her Al was on a bus home. She wanted no explanation.
Al passed away........I believe it was in the fall of 2007. He lived in Idaho......working as a carpenter..............despite the fact he had a Law degree. He just didn't like that life. He mixed painkillers and alcohol and passed away in his sleep on his couch................I believe he left three children behind. I didn't see Alex after my Dads' funeral. We talked.................but as far as he was concerned, I should have let him stay, even though he wouldn't uphold his end of the bargain. That's youth I guess. He wasn't a bad kid and I really did like him.............I just couldn't let him ignore his agreement, nor could I ignore the theft of Grandmom's coins. I'm sorry that events occurred the way they did.........I had hoped for a different ending.
Until the next time...........................................God Bless..
Fall 1985. We were living at Grandmoms' house and Dads' sister had come to visit with her youngest son, Alex. Dad was home for good now..........................his truck parked along Rte 263 in front of the house. His health had deteriorated to the point that he was on SSI disability...............right up until he died. Alex was 16 at the time and his mother was having a rough time................... with his behavior.
Grandmoms' house was a refuge...........and a place for a new start. Many of her grandchildren lived under her roof., Carl was the first of Helens' sons.........our Grandparents stepping in to helping out when circumstances became unpleasant for the child. The next of Helens' boys was Drew.............he lived at Grandmoms, but Dad stood up for him as a guardian and father figure...................he was a handful, a disciplinary problem according to Dad. Alex came with his Mom on their visit in 1985. Helen asked Grandmom and Dad if they would consider taking Al in.................that's what we all called him. Dad and Grandmom both, told her that they just couldn't handle it............................then this idiot, decided that he would become responsible for Al. We all discussed the arrangements together..............Dad, Grandmom, Helen, Al and myself. The deal was that Al would take the trash out once a week.......do the dishes every other night..........take the dog out as necessary.............and bring in firewood when needed. An agreement was made and later the legal paperwork was notarized..............I was Als' guardian. He started school at CB East...............like Carl and Drew. Things went smoothly at first.......then Al started to renege on his agreement. I came home from work and the trash was not out.............I had to bring in firewood. I woke Al and had him do his chores...................at first it was okay and he complied. Then he became obstinate and defiant.
What occured next, I wasn't prepared for.................Al asked me to take him to a coin dealer as he had some old coins he wanted to sell. Problem was..................Grandmom had a pink plastic pig that was full of wheatsheaf pennys and other old coins....................it was on the dresser in Als' bedroom, where it was always kept....................it had disappeared. I put off taking him and investigated the loss as best as I could. Grandmom was up in arms............this was my fault for bringing Al in to her house..............she said that she held me personally responsible for her loss. Another night. when I got home from work at 1130pm......the trash wasn't out again. I went in and got Al out of bed........again. This time he told me to go and f*** myself...... I pushed him back down on his bed and told him to rethink his answer...................he only got up and yelled in my face............with the same reply. I told him to comply or pack his bags. He packed his bags. The next morning, I called Helen and informed her Al was on a bus home. She wanted no explanation.
Al passed away........I believe it was in the fall of 2007. He lived in Idaho......working as a carpenter..............despite the fact he had a Law degree. He just didn't like that life. He mixed painkillers and alcohol and passed away in his sleep on his couch................I believe he left three children behind. I didn't see Alex after my Dads' funeral. We talked.................but as far as he was concerned, I should have let him stay, even though he wouldn't uphold his end of the bargain. That's youth I guess. He wasn't a bad kid and I really did like him.............I just couldn't let him ignore his agreement, nor could I ignore the theft of Grandmom's coins. I'm sorry that events occurred the way they did.........I had hoped for a different ending.
Until the next time...........................................God Bless..
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