Grandpa Van Stigt (Pt. 2 of 3)

I am not going to waste too much time talking about my grandfather because I don't really 
care for him much. He is an alcoholic who is in denial by the way. I don't really spend that 
much time with him because just being around him rather upsets my mom, so we don't go 
there much...thank goodness. I know I am probably picking up on my mom's attitude about 
it all, but at this point and time it doesn't matter all that much. According to the one uncle I 
have that doesn't have any addictions, papa has been an alcoholic since before my mom 
was even born. Grandma did an excellent job hiding it from the kids until they all got older, 
then one by one they started to notice. My mom was the last one left at home and grandma 
joined anything to get out of the house. Bingo on Monday and Thursday at Star of the Sea, 
Tuesdays at St. Bernadette's, bowling on sundays and cards on Wednesdays, but that was at 
home with mom and her friends. Papa would get to drinking like he did every night after 
work, and once the alcohol took affect, he would bring out the musical intrusments and get 
very loud and obnoxious. Many times mom would have to drag him to the couch and get him 
functioning long enough to get on it. The day my mom met my dad and they decided to 
move out, grandma said her job was done, the kids were grown and she was leaving. Papa 
eventually remarried and he still drinks. The funny part is that he says he doesn't drink 
anymore. He only has beer and wine, but that is not drinking according to him. What a joke, 
huh?
Copyright © | Year Posted 2010

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