A crazy young bastard, on a crazy old bastard.

[Eater of Clowns]

I don't know much about my uncle.  He's lived on the west coast my whole life; I can recall his presence at a few family gatherings as a kid but I had no significant interaction with him until recently.  He's a friendly old guy, a wife, no kids, retired and living in the San Francisco Bay area.  He's a bit of a mystery though.  I've heard snippets, rumors, hints of his past.

He's one of five siblings; the only male of the bunch.  I guess he had some problems with my pepere when he was younger, maybe he was too rebellious.  I can see it happening, my pepere was one of those mid-20th century World War II vets - strict, unwavering, and dead of a heart attack at 55.  Anyway my uncle was in Vietnam.  Nobody talks about it much and I haven't ever asked him.  I don't intend to either.  It's not one of those things one can ask somebody.  Sometimes I think it's a shame because there's knowledge there, and I hate to see knowledge and stories die.  But it's not my choice whether the bad stories live on forever.

After that things get hazy on what I know about him.  I heard he had a tough time adjusting after the war, which is, again, to be expected.  He may have gone down south to act as a Nicaraguan freedom fighter.  I have no idea what that means in terms of his role, really, don't know who he was with or what kinds of things he did and saw.  It sounds like something he believed in, to me, like maybe he had this romantic idea it was the right thing to do.  I'd love to know his reasons why.  Perhaps if I come to know him better I can pick it up.

Beyond that all I know of him is what I know now.  He seems happy, intelligent.  He takes it easy and he has a tendency to drone when he talks.  It's funny the similarities I find myself having with a man who I've really interacted with only a handful of times.  He says interesting things.  Seems like a guy who has life all figured out.  I like to think I do as well, sometimes, but I'm young and uncertain.  My reasons for getting to know him are much the same as my reasons for being here; I feel like I can learn.  It's generous of him and his wife to host me for the week I'm spending out there, and I was happy to learn they're excited about it.  I am too, of course, I get to go where I've never been and see parts of this beautiful country I've never seen.  But I'm also excited at possibly learning from my uncle, or even just about him.

I realize this is some self indulgent shit, but I thought maybe it'd make an interesting read on a day this place seems afflicted with melancholy.  It's also my way of telling everyone not to do anything terribly interesting while I'm gone, because I can't be sure I'll have any time to check this place out.  I'll be around until Tuesday.  After that, behave your goddamn selves.

[NotPublished]

Its always fascinating finding out relatives life stories ... even to just write it down for the grandchildren to know the history of their family.

I hope you enjoy your time there Mr EoC

[Eater of Clowns]

Thanks NP.  I know precious little about my family.  It doesn't seem to be something talked about unless asked, and even then only in snippets.  Where does one begin?

In my attic a few years ago we found some old memorabilia.  Birth certificates from 1902 from what we think is Poland - originals, stamped and everything.  Can't read them though.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

While surprised to not find intergenerational gay sex in this post due to its title, I have to say it did make reading the OP fairly weird.

Have a good one.

[Eater of Clowns]

Yeah, I knew at least one, if not most, would take the title that way.  Oh well.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

I tried recording a bunch of my grandma's stories once but I realized the recorder was turned off and I was too embarrassed to ask her to repeat it all again.

I thought it was okay because I remembered most of it, but it's been so long that I don't anymore.

Now she's kind of gone, not dead, but barely there. I suggest you write it all down.