Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
Its been a really long and fulfilling and crazy week. I took my job to the next level and got a long verbal, "hey you're really great you really pulled through and I am really proud of you" And you know what- its nice. I went to three birthdays in a row and went without sleep for three days subsequently getting really ill! Then as we universally tense our shoulders for quality family time on the big Turkey day while celebrating the rape and pillaging that the WASPY puritanical forefathers of this country are responsible for while usurping land under the guise of "manifest destiny" (breath) I get a shocked call from mom. My ex Uncle AKA my blood related Aunt's ex husband- boring super nebishy Westchester golf pants wearing "Uncle Bones" was arrested for the illegal possession of $100,000 worth of super sophisticated weaponry- some of it so rare and top secret that they are calling in the feds! The police arrested him and posted his face on Channel 7 news both at 5pm, 11pm and the next day on-line. The dude was so psychotic that he was target practicing in his CLOSET; the bullets rang through a house next door and slid past a baby's bedroom. My questions are many but one of the questions is this: If my crazy Uncle had been target practicing for a while now using special rubber coated bullets called "Cop Killers", which go through the bullet proof vests, thereby piercing her house for god knows how long- why did she just tell the cops now? She made some stupid remark like- "its just scary what could have happened to my kids! Lady! You don't sit around wondering- you dial 911 and move the kid to the den!
I have no idea why my Uncle was collecting firearms, especially exotic ones like lighters that shot of rounds and special paramilitary like oozies- one friend noted that maybe he was a supplier- he's rich and he owns a gas station- that never quite computed in my head. My belief is that he is preparing for WWIII- he wants to tender his fantasies of being a street commando ready and armed for when the terrorists come and upend everything. Either way this tickled me until I saw his mugshot on the Web. Then my heart sunk and I felt ill.
I'm sad for my cousins- they are just college age- its raw at that time and I don't think they have a single sane adult to guide them. My Aunt is truly Bipolar- she has such extreme swings of manic that it frightens me a little some times- I am told that ferocious temper actually disqualifies her for that exact diagnosis as their manic phases are only happy ones- can this be true? Anyhow sometimes its cute and quirky like when had performances around the city trying to ignite a vaudeville like career singing. Her energy and laugh can be vivacious and a saving grace in an all together mundane holiday setting. She tries to know whats going on and be involved in what her kids want- but she is not so cute when she stalks a married guy sneaks into his house and rolls around in his bed, or when she calls ex girlfriends of family members and invites them on trips or when she yells at people in the middle of their special B-mitsvahs or weddings- then its not cute. Needless to say this total out-spurt of private emotions and thoughts not too mention the frightening lunacy of it all frightens the shit out of my dad. Its his little sister- he's rather insular and private and well functioning in the outer world.
I guess old soporific Uncle Bones had some fire in him yet. He's being held without bail for an undetermined time under the charge of reckless endangerment. I have no idea what the penalty for that is- but I can tell you this- albeit not blood related and not even in the family anymore, this is the first family penal scandal- Looks like we'll be carving pink elephant this Thursday.
Holy Crap!
I saw the lead-in for this story -- but I never caught the whole story. I quickly forgot about it over the commercial break.
But your fill-in quickly reminded me of it.
HOLY CRAP!
At least no one was hurt.
The kids will be fine. Your aunt will be fine. You Pa will be fine. (I don't know why I feel like calling him "PA" at this moment.)
Don't worry about what you can't control. Just concentrate on the good you can do in this life. (I have to tell myself this repeatedly. Sometimes, I actually listen to myself.)
love,
moira.
Posted by: moira | November 21, 2005 at 10:23 AM