So many things have been happening lately, and I haven't been able to blog for some reason. Perhaps I'm a little nervous about these topics. One is that my brother finally has to do time in prison for drunk driving. This last event happened the day I called him last February and told him (actually left a voice mail message) that Mom had died. He, all choked up and sorrowful, left a message for me, that he was going out now to get drunk, very drunk. Which, of course, he proceeded to do. And, of course, had an accident, plowed into some other car, thank god nobody was too badly hurt, but he attended the funeral with banged up ribs. Now he's doing the time. Before he went in, he was so depressed that he wouldn't communicate with me or anybody, the last thing he said to me was, "I'm screwed." We are not kids anymore, so this really bothered me a lot.
So getting a phone call from him was happiness yesterday. They let him get out for 2 days a month, so he won't lose his social security (if you are in jail for 30 days in a month, you lose it). They charge you $10.00 a day to be in jail. But while sitting there drying out, etc. he got an opportunity to get a job cooking right at the prison. He's a fantastic cook, by the way. So he and 5 other men do all the cooking and he will also get time off for good behavior: his 12 month sentence will be over in 6 months, if he doesn't drink or do anything foolish. Also, because he is working there at the prison, he doesn't have to pay to stay, AND he actually earns 25 cents an hour. He is actually happier right now than he has been in a long time. And sober. I asked him if he gets the DT's when he goes in, but he is mentally powerful enough, so that he gets over the drinking and smoking without suffering too much. Wish, oh how I wish, that he would have an epiphany and stop drinking altogether, but he doesn't seem able to do it. I suppose he just lives for the day he can start drinking again. God! Well, this is one of the uncomfortable subjects I have to cover.