The Englishman

What I remember of him up until the age of 8 yrs old. My dad was over 6' tall, handsome, English decendent with blonde hair and blue eyes. Full of fun and a lust for life and women. Couldnt keep that man down and he couldnt stop drinking. There were four brothers and two sisters. I dont know how they all found each other after being placed in an orphanage when they were youngsters. Never growing up together they were all alcoholics and each one had a terrible life and death. My Mom used to tell the story how an old bitty, wealthy aunt in England put a curse on the family. With that story thats a trail to live by, especially if they drank the curse would follow. Some of those old people sure knew how to screw with someone. So, one of those especially sneak nights out on the town with his girlfriend. The one who was going to leave her husband, and he who wasnt about to give up his ravishing slut were caught in a bar drinking their blues away. Husband raging with jealousy walks in with his pistol, doesnt shoot his wife, of course shoots dad. Not once but three times. Two in the back and One in the chest as he turns around to face his accuser. He lay in ICU for three days, and that woman came up to see him in front of my Mother. I dont understand why she didnt throw her out of that room. In those days children were not allowed in the hospital. I got lucky to see him, because my brother and I were at home playing at the time. We were holding this long piece of string and he was cutting it in pieces until he got to the end and cut off the tip of my finger. Until this day my index finger sticks up to a pointy edge. Anyway, I was whisked off to the emergency room bleeding to death, well it looked like it. The doctor in emergency wanted to stitch it and I wouldnt let him. Then I was promised if I did let him sew up my finger I could go and see daddy in his hospital room .

Through the eyes of a child! There in this huge dark long and wide room , the only light on was the one over his bed. I was only allowed to stand at the doorway. I didnt know why he was there, I only knew he was very sick. I yelled to him and I held up this huge bandaged finger. Daddy, look at me. Look at what Billy did. Daddy will you look, he never did.