Other essays on this theme

Essay: "My Family"

The 50's -- I was born 4/27/51 in a Navy hospital in Tennessee. My father was in the Navy, my mother lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. The first four days of my life (and the only four days) were spent in that hospital. In 1953 we moved to my aunt's in Michigan. (My father found another woman.) My aunt was like a mother throughout my younger years. My mom worked. It was me, my mom, my aunt, and my uncle. The 60's -- The early 60's my step-dad came into the picture. I was in Little League, playing hockey and ice skating in the winter. That was in Belleville, MI. Honestly the best years of my life. In 1964 we moved to Santa Ana, Southern California. I was an only child and being accepted led to lots of drug use. The only help I ever asked my family for was 'out-of-trouble' help. In 1969, I went to Missouri and spent the last time I ever would with my real father and step-mom. I graduated from high school in Liberty, MO due to senior year juvenile trouble in So. Cal. I spoke to my father after that but never saw him again. (I recently found out they had passed away.) The 70's -- I remained at home (my parents' home) until they sold the house in 1973. Drugs, theft, and partying. Never imagining it would be the start of many years of the same thing. It was about that time that my selfish wants took a front seat to any and all family. My parents moved to Oregon and I ceased to communicate with them. In 1979 I did visit them. On the run from a case/warrant in So. Cal. Three months in jail, extradited to So. Cal. The 80's -- I 'started' a new life in 1980 but it was purely geographical. I moved to Northern California (Santa Clara/San Mateo) and began a cocaine -- credit card binge that would last some 20 years and spending roughly 60% of that time in prison. The 80's was a waste. The 90's -- In 1995 I finally began to get a grip on my life. I got a nice apartment in San Mateo, a decent job, and went to see my parents. My father had designed and built a beautiful house on 40 acres in Oregon. I went to see them and we were all happy and together again. Shortly. I continued to visit them (and get parole violations) from '95 through '99. Lost five apartments. I was struggling. The 2000's -- I was free exactly the 41st day in 2000. On February 10, 2000, I was charged with a whole bunch of credit card cases. The result is a 12 year and 8 month sentence. A prior residential burglary from 1979 made that sentence 80%. Thus my present date is 10/18/09. If I stay out of trouble, I'll see the tail end of this decade on the streets. My mother and stepfather are still supporting me, however I feel so not-worthy. I've had every opportunity in the world to make them proud. It didn't happen. God willing we'll all be healthy in 2009 and I'll be able to spend some quality years with them. God willing. -