That man is the father. He came here from Chicago and I don't know what got into my daughter. I was less kind with my words last therapy visit. I said she went whoring after him and her grandkids and my sister's are gorgeous little blondes. So I'm a bigot.
The father gave me fits not so much because he's black but because he came here from Chicago, just got disability, is what's the right word, special needs that were never met, doesn't talk so you can understand him, can barely write, ex heroin addict, alcoholic, hepatitis C, won't quit drinking, finally diagnosed as schizophrenic, cost the taxpayers thousands. I fumed for weeks and months and had a huge ugly showdown with my daughter. No financial help unless he got out because she could barely support herself and the little boy, because everything I give you, he gets 1/3 the benefit from it (rent, gas, fixing things on trailer she couldn't afford, etc.). They got such good food stamps, better food than I could afford, and you can eat out and get stuff with them you used not to be able to.
Sometimes I feel a little guilty for disliking him so. The baby's sister who adores him is 22 years his senior. This guy has fathered 5 kids the taxpayers pay for, the oldest 40. I think he's late 50's. His sister moved to CA but when she was here, the baby's father was living with his "cousin" who was living with her bf. One night I get an hysterical call from my granddaughter (his sister), "Grandma, I've got to get out of here." Not the one in the photo but the cousin's bf was lying on the sidewalk in a pool of blood. The gf had stabbed him. So he comes back after he gets released from the hosp.
So next morning, granddaughter's car not working, so we go looking for places, find a nice affordable brick duplex in a so so neighborhood two blocks where my grandmother had lived (killed in car accident in 1949).
So what next? The trio moves 2 blocks away. I know I shouldn't be so hateful and did give him pictures from the first birthday when he was in treatment, but it's hard to accept.
Had to vent. I think it's harder for me because I'm older, wasn't taught bigotry whatsoever at home, but no one in my peer group would have (I want to use a crude word but won't) outside their race in those days.
p.s. feel free to FReep mail me FRiend, whenever you need to vent. It's cathartic. Can't promise I'll read it rightaway though. Sometimes I am mariposa for stretches at a time. Take care.