tromboneliness

Yup, that's how it works. In my family, there is one 'nucleus' of my cousins who tend to be caretakers for the older generation (the few who are still left, that is), and one of them came to live with my Dad for a couple of years -- basically, he traded driving my Dad (who had finally lost his license) around in exchange for room and board. I had refused to move back in with my Dad because... well, he was so impossible -- a raging, alcoholic control freak.

Certain members of my extended family undoubtedly talk about me in unflattering terms because I 'didn't take care of' my Dad (who died last September), etc. Well, you know what? F890 'em. They can think whatever they want, say whatever they want, and so on and so forth -- and that's their business. If they don't call me anymore, now that my Dad is gone, hey, I'd just as soon not hear from them anyway, because when they did call, they always either wanted something or wanted to tell me what to do. Who needs that?

Basically, there are two kinds of people: Those who have a program, and those who need one. The people Out There™ (who need a program) do not understand how the dynamic works, of dealing with an alcoholic or other toxic family member. They don't get it -- and we're powerless to make them get it. So they do what they gotta do, and that's OK with me, as long as they don't call!

(Ya, I still got some anger issues to work out. Got a problem with that?)



T