I'm Creeped Out By This Wake-Up Call

This morning, my sister and I had a lovely discussion over the speaker-mode of my cel as I was getting ready for work. She's had quite a time of it since my nephew died - but keeps managing to pull things off with this raw, gut-strength that I had no idea was in my genetic code... We'll start with my ex-brother-in-law...

Even after losing his family - because of lack of any initiative, mental weirdness and alcoholism, my FBIL continued to drink... He'd stop for awhile, then would always dip back into the sauce. It was one of the many, many reasons that my nephews don't really spend any time with him - Anyway, last week, FBIL finally crashed his car in a drunken pile of metal, cheap beer, and stupidity... And for you who think there's no God, ponder this: He didn't hurt anyone. Just the poor unsuspecting vehicle.

"It was a real wakeup call," he said to my sister. All I can say is that he must've been sleeping like Rip Van Winkle to need that kind of wakeup call... but I'm a little bitter.

In lighter news, my sis also recenty weathered my older nephew quitting (not really quitting in the traditional sense of the word...) his job - for reasons he won't fully disclose. The story goes that he went for his first day of dishwashing at a local restaurant. He played hookey on the second day of his job... (I apologize if this is not my place to tell this story in cyber-public, but it's so funny!) My sister, not knowing what was going on, called his boss to see when she should pick him up:

Boss: Um, he isn't working tonight. He said his mother fell and hurt her hip, so he had to stay home and help her.

Sis: Um - His mother didn't hurt her hip. I'm his mother... (who'dve thunk for a moment that a lie attached to your ride home would even work?!!)

The boss, surely understanding that this was just a stupid teen thang to do, said he'd forgive my nephew - and he should come into work that weekend.

In the meantime, my nephew called with his own commentary to his boss: "I think it would be in your best interest not to have me work for you..."

My sister quickly received a call from the boss, who reported what my nephew had ominously prophecied. My sister, livid, told my nephew that if he didn't want the job, he could stay home and work for her... For a month. With no pay. And no complaints. She said he could have another job (he wants to buy a class ring) when he proved he was responsible),

I waited a full week to call my nephew. "Can I mock you now? Just a little?" I then laughed for a good :15 or so before I told him I was done. My nephew took it like a man... "Hey - don't do that again, okay?" I asked.

"I won't..." he said.

Then my sister and I discussed Jason - and how now, after almost a year since his death, she doesn't break down at the grocery store when she overhears someone else being called Jason... "You know?" she said, "I couldn't even call you after he died..."

My mind stopped like a big thud... I didn't really understand, "Why is that?"

"You and Jay were just so close. It made me cry..."

Oh. "I still cry," I said - "It always comes up at weird times. LIke when I see a frog.... or think about his cute little giggle... Or racing after his electric chair..." But every time it happens, I can't help thinking how glad I was that I got him for awhile...

I don't know how my sister does it. I'm not sure how she copes. I asked her if she'd do anything differently... "I'd have left (FBIL) sooner... Man am I glad he didn't hurt anyone in that car..." Stupid FBIL.

Sorry about the crazy-hazy post. This is just what's been on my mind lately.