Drunk Grandpa
After his recent hospital detox (second in three months), my AXH swore to my sons that he was finally finished with the booze. He had already lost me; he didn't want to lose his sons and granddaughter too. He was going to AA, etc. He hasn't seen our granddaughter in six months because my son won't bring her there if he has been drinking. Since he was newly "sober," my son offered to bring her over and spend the day with him this past weekend.
Lo and behold, when my son arrives, my AXH comes out the front door, slightly staggering, with bloodshot eyes. My son could tell he was drinking.
My son has a real radar for when his dad is drinking or not. He was convinced by phone conversations that he was sober. (My other son was as well.) Then, when he makes arrangements to bring over the granddaughter my AXH was desperate to see, he comes out of the house half drunk! My son put her back in the car and drove away.
WTH? If he indeed had been sober for a couple of weeks, and had been warned not to drink at all if he wanted to see her, why in the world would he drink that very day when he knew she was coming? Is there no rock bottom for these people? No sense of ethics? No compassion for their children?
When my son got angry, all my AXH could say was, "You're just like everyone else. Always judging me." No, he's not just like everyone else. He's your son, damn it, and you are breaking his heart while you destroy your life.