Well, I know where to start, but what to include is the dilemma.
Friday night my 21 yr old adopted brother called. They normally live 2+ hrs away, but were 15 minutes away in Festus. They being his wife and himself. I had never met the wife and hadn't seen the brother in 5 years. (To be honest, he was adopted by my dad and stepmom when I was 16. I haven't really seen much of him in his whole life. Maybe a dozen times max.)
We had all three kids, but hell... family sooooo it began. They came by and visited. I got drenched in the southeast Missouri mental drippings, but survived. They were going to Six Flags the next day. Fun for them. They asked my advice about problems with possibly getting kicked out of their apartment over a pet and unpaid rent. I gave it to them realistically.
After they left, my dad called. Yippee. joy..wow..shit (for those with faulty sarcasm meters). He had just heard about the visit and had to tell his side of events. That the brother and wife had been legally evicted and were to be out by Sunday and they chose to leave town. There was more traditional dad medical drama that is irrelevant to this weekend. I now have the impression that both my brother and dad are pathological liars. Apple tree thing.
Fast forward to Sat 4:30 ish. Message on cell phone. Brother. quote as close as i can remember.."Marilen and I are fighting. She says she is going to leave me here at six flags. If she does, can you come get me?" I had a van load of kids, food for my friends get together that required refrigeration and was in the middle of trying to get a used riding lawn mower going to buy from a friend. (other one as issues not to be discussed...lawnmower, not friend)
I call back, get her and well....tell her what I think about the marriage is a commitment they made not me; decent people don't leave other people; not my problem.. ect.. add some fucks and shits and you can get the drift. Click. she didn't like that it seems.
Phone ring..Dad again. He didn't know all about that, he wanted my take on them in general. He agreed that Tommy (brother) needed to figure his own shit out.
Ring: Tommy: she left him. I tell him to find a way home. He said okay. (tough love, but he had a credit card from his mom...)
My thought is that she will show up and it will be okay.
Fast forward to 10pm. Ring: Tommy. Credit card was maxed by wife and he is still outside six flags with $2 cash. He has a ride from another family member that night or the next day if he can get to Pevely. (family truck driver.. aunts, boyfriend on his mom's side)
Guilt.. guilt.. okay, 2 hrs time to get him take him to pevely without great risk of him becoming a permanent part of my living room couch. We finish what we are doing (Yes it was a game, but damnit.. he was fine where he was). Our friend Scott (sociology and psychology teacher) wanted to ride along for fun. Besides, he had to drop the mower at our house still anyway. We end up at home at 1am ish unloading a lawn mower.
In the middle...over an hour of time with the strangest stuff coming out Tom's mouth. I will try to hit the highlights
1. Chocolate milk and water diet; "if you were like 300 lbs, you could lose 150 in a month. but that ain't healthy"
2. Special drug compartments built into trucks. Price goes up with size and they 'line them with red pepper and vaseline to through off the drug dogs"
3. He had gotten the phone number of a 17 year old virgin that worked at six flags. (I had to give my take on any girl who gives out her number to strangers and the likelihood of an intact cherry.)
I think my brain shut down and I am spared much more memories. Needless to say I didn't a lot of those 'blinks'.. you know, the ones that are the mental equivalent of ctrl+alt+del.
I had a couple of calls Sun from him to say he was home okay and then he was staying at friends to 'keep his wife guessing'.
Then my dad called in a panic because the wife had told him Tommy was in the hospital.
Add in stories of a lot of people cussing other people out over the events.
All I needed was a thrown chair or someone new being pregnant. (knocking on computer desk diligently)
I swear I am not making any of this shit up. I have witnesses.
Well, I might add more as therapy unlocks the memories.
Tootles.
M