Interlude

 I grew up with eight siblings. 

As an adult I asked one brother why he broke house rules. He told me a long story that did not answer the question. Or maybe it did. He wanted to do something, so he did it. 

I was sitting on front porch steps with a friend. A boy came into the yard carrying  a kitten. He said someone tried to drown it. We had a lot of cats around our house. Maybe that is why he asked if I would take it. I do not know why I did. I named it Ginger because the family had just come back from a Make Believe Land, featuring a Gingerbread Castle. 

Years and years later the same brother laughed about how he and his friend used to put cats in bags, with rocks, tie it shut and throw them in the brook to drown them.

Ah, maybe it was only one time and one kitten. Maybe the boy knew where my brother lived and brought it up the street to us?

He was a bully. He started smoking at age three, picking up butts he and his friend found in the woods, next to the brook. He skipped church using his collection money to play pinball machines. As an adult he was nicer. But an alcoholic who beat some of his sons.

He was in the Reserves or National Guard (I do not recall which) He owed his own business. Bought a house; sold it and then bought another. I do not think he lied or stole. He and his wife did go to church. She told him either quit drinking or get a divorce. He quit drinking.

I doubt any of my other siblings would try to drown cats. The two other  older brothers stopped going to church, soon after Confirmation. The younger two, myself and three sisters regularly attended church. One other brother is likely alcoholic and beat his son. My father was not a drinker, but he did beat my older brothers with a belt, as did his father.

An older brother started getting into trouble in high school. He ended up using heroin on and off his entire adult life.  My siblings and I pretty much grew up the same. Which is why I do not think parents should automatically be held accountable for their teen children's crimes. 

My mother was a SAHM until the youngest started school. With 9 children, it is possible my parents were not able to keep track of their children's activities. They probably never knew their son tried to drown a kitten (or cats) or that he was puffing on discarded cigarette butts. 

Or that a son stole cough syrup from drug store where he worked, as did his friend who got him the job. They did not get caught. When bro left the job and the other brother took it. He got caught stealing cough syrup for the friend. Codeine? Used to get high.

Eight children did not use heroin. Just because one son did, does not make it the parent's fault.