Peke, he didn't understand, not at all, and was probably angry with me until he passed. I knew he was angry, and that's part of why I shied away from contacting and visiting him. Newly sober me could not handle it. But I should have told him why I was staying away, even if it meant he got angrier for a while. I think he might have softened eventually if I told him how scared I was of his anger. I'll never know.