Posted by Glenn Fagelson on August 9, 2001, at 22:05:51
In reply to What would you do? Help me., posted by Gracie2 on August 8, 2001, at 16:38:24
>
> I see my Dad only once or twice a year because he lives in some exotic place being an architectural engineer. When we do meet, there are kisses on the cheek, how's the weather, very polite, let's-do-lunch-again-sometime. It's very shallow and impersonal and makes me sad.
> This year I decided that things would be different, that I would force him into more personal conversation. The thing that has always bothered me most about my Dad is that he's never said a single word to me about the death of my brother. Not one
> word. My brother died in a military aircrash and there is a memorial at Fort Campbell for the soldiers who died on the plane. I took out the pictures and placed them on the table in front of my Dad:
>
> Dedicated to the memory of the 248 soldiers of Task Force 3-502, multinational force and observers, 101st
> Airborne Division (Air Assault)who perished at Gander, Newfoundland while returning home from peacekeeping duty in the Sinai Peninsula.
> "Our courageous peacekeepers
> have departed our midst suddenly.
> And they have ascended to heights
> Where even Screaming Eagles can't fly."
>
> My dad took off his glasses, and he began to weep. I was shocked beyond belief. Dad doesn't show his feelings; I thought prehaps we could discuss MINE, because I'm still having a terrible time handling Shayne's death. I never meant to hurt him. I've never seen my father cry.
> When I got home, my husband was disgusted with me. He said, "You wanted to get a reaction out of him, and you did. What's the problem?" I couldn't believe he said that to me. I took a beer out of the refrigerator and he said, "Oh no." He snatched it away from me. "That always just makes you worse." He sounded repulsed.
>
> I don't know what to do now. I feel like shoving everything I can fit into my hatchback and moving down to the Louisiana swamps, where nobody will ever find me. I don't know what to do.
> -GracieHi Susan. I forgot to add your name to one of
my posts above. Please take care, Glenn
poster:Glenn Fagelson
thread:8982
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010807/msgs/9102.html