Me and Mary Higgins Clark.

I am back from a one week vacation. Ugh! I was supposed to have today off but there were some scheduling problems and I will save the date for later in the month. I’d like to head north and do some research on my maternal grandfather and great grandmother.

I went up north last week and played golf with my maternal uncle which was fun despite the humidity. We got finished around 3:00 p.m. and headed back to the house. This is the house my deceased (biological) father grew up in. I took a quick shower there and found myself wondering as the water poured over me if he ever showered in this bathroom. The fixtures seem to date the bathroom to late 60’s to early 70’s. 

The bathroom itself is an add-on off the rear of this New Englander style house. There are two rooms in the main section of house and this bathroom opens off the dining room even though it is used as a TV area. I am thinking he had probably already (1973) headed out to Texas when this bathroom was added on.

I sat and chatted with my maternal aunt while my uncle showered so we could go out to eat. I kept looking at the stairway in the tiny front hall and was surprised how the stairway could make three turns in such a tight space.

Anyway, we went out to eat and then I drove across town to B’s house. It really strikes me as odd that (other than my biological father) all these people are still living within a couple of miles where it all began.

I had a nice time there and spent the night. In the morning, B. made eggs, bacon, english muffins for me and her husband. We all headed out for a long walk. We went up to visit with their neighbors who are about my age. They are completely self sufficient and it is fascinating. Chickens, cows and goats. Gardens galore and and a thriving wood business. I am sure it isn’t as easy and fun as it looks. They work hard and they never stopped during the few minutes we were there.

B. did say that she thought this visit must be tough on me. Visiting with both sides. She didn’t want me to feel obligated about visiting or staying over. I told her there was no feeling like that at all.

If I didn’t want to stay over, trust me…I wouldn’t have! I didn’t sleep well at all. I am fine in hotels but I can’t sleep at people’s houses. B. left a book for me on the night table that they had all read. I read over half of it that night. It was some god awful Mary Higgins Clark piece of crap and they were all raving about it. It was awful and I started to secretly hope the heroine would actually get killed by the crazed killer. Just clonk her over the head for god sakes and put an end to this ordeal!

I know there are a lot of fans on Mary Higgins Clark out there. The woman is a best selling author and I certainly respect that. But really…

So I had a good time but I was sure glad to get home.  I need to catch up on other’s blogs to see what is going down.

My Punishment for Losing You.

I spoke with B. last week. Her grandson is now living with her. The state decided it was best for all involved if he not live with his mother at this time. It isn’t that she doesn’t love him but her love of heroin is stronger.

I am going up Tuesday to golf with my paternal uncle or ”the other side of the equation” as we call it. After lunch, I am headed over to B.’s and she asked me to stay over. I was planning on it until I found out my dog is having surgery that day. She has a weird little bump on her elbow that needs to come off. I’ll drop her off in the morning and then pick her up that night.

Anyway, B. was blowing off some steam during our conversation. She has a 13 year old boy living with her and I can tell it is getting to her a little. One problem was over a haircut. He has a style that I call “Hockey Hair”. It is a very popular style where I live. Boys grow their hair about shoulder length and it is all pushed forward. It is usually topped off with a carefully angled cap. Although these kids think it looks pretty tough and cool, they often appear like the Dutchboy paint can kid. It just looses something with the angelic face!

B. took this kid for a haircut and she wanted to be able to see his face. Apparently, an argument ensued and they finally reached a compromise where he can keep the look but it can’t be over his eyes. Ever. Next stop is the summer crew cut!

So B. was saying to me that she feels like she will be raising kids for the rest of her life. She was also watching her granddaughter last weekend and I think she was feeling stressed and a little unappreciated.

She let out a sigh and said, “I suppose this is my punishment for losing you”.

I thought about that statement for a long while…  

 

Texas Oil Country.

I have been debating again trying to contact the woman in Baytown, Texas who had been married to my birth father. The last letters I sent were returned because I wasn’t using her trailer number. As you may remember, I managed to get a couple of letters to her because I had received a late night phone message.  I have attempted to call her back on numerous occasions but had no response.

For some reason, I looked her up again yesterday and her trailer number is now appearing with her address. I am not sure how (or if) I should proceed…

In my past research, I had “googled” her address and found page after page of information. Police reports, letters to editors with complaints about the conditions in this particular trailer park, and it just goes on and on. Apparently, this park is the Baytown epicenter of some pretty serious drug dealing, fighting and public intoxication arrests. I am also curious what exactly “financial irresponsibility” entails and how you can be arrested for that. Is that similar to vagrancy? 

While I find it slightly frightening, I am also completely intrigued. This morning I thought of calling the Baytown police to try to get more information on the park itself. I think if I explained why I was interested, they might be helpful. Or maybe not. I do realize Texas is a very different place then Massachusetts.

“It was a hard land, and it bred hard men to hard ways.” — Louis L’Amour

 From what I can gather, Baytown is the heart of oil country which would explain why my biological father was there. My other concern is how things were left when he headed down to Austin. She is still using his last name and I can’t find any record of a divorce.

I am also hesitant after my experiences with the rest of his family. I am delving into a lot of  ”bad dirt” and it has blown up on me in the past.

I need to decide if learning about his later life is worth getting involved. How far should I go?