Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Happy birthday to me...awwww screw it. I'm 40...

Yep...Dec 20th 1965 was the date my moms world changed forever. My mom and biological father divorced when I was an infant. My father is a practicing alcoholic to this day and has never been a parent.

My mom raised me for awhile as a single parent. This was the late 60's in South Ms (Bay St Louis), so you can imagine the stereotyping she must have dealt with. Luckily we always lived close to my mom's parents. I was always with family when mom went to work. One of my first memories was the night Hurricane Camille hit. Me and mom piled in her old car (a 50-something Chevy) with a few belongings and started down the road to my grandparents house. I had my goldfish bowl and a raggedy Ann doll on the seat next to me. The passenger door on this cluncker would sometimes un-latch and open on it's own. I remember mom taking a left hand turn and the door flew open. Out the car went my fish and my doll. I remember mom grabbing on to me to keep me from flying out the car.

My next memory was my mom having to walk to work. She would stand on one end of the street and send me down the road towards my grandparents house. Just as I would leave her sight, my grandma would just start to see me about the time my mom lost sight of me. My mom would walk to and from her job as a secretary and switchboard operator at the local hospital.

The next memory is of my mom dating and marrying my dad. Even though he is only my dad by law, he has always been my dad. He was a young guy in the Air Force and he didn't have to take on a girl that already had a kid, but he did. I remember him spending hours teaching me how to properly hold silverware, how to say "spaghetti" instead of "pa-scetti" and generally he taught me manners. My family had spoiled me and I was a brat (so I'm told)

My dad changed that and adopted me. The rest is history. To this day, sometimes my mom gets on my nerves, but she will always be in my heart. My dad will always be my dad. I love both of them more than words can say.

So that's it. Today I turned 40. I have a family of my own and I hope I live to see all of my boys turn 40.

4 comments:

ida said...

I hope you enjoyed a great birthday, Paul!

MomThatsNuts said...

PAUL....

(pauls wife, turn your head)

BIG KISS AND HUGGGGG!!!!

Being 40 sucks, Im not gonna lie to ya.....

Mom

That dude Paul said...

Thanks to both of ya ladies. :)

Wendy said...

happy birthday! I hope it was wonderful. Your childhood story and mine are very simular. Very, very simular.

I'd hug and kiss you too, but Mom slobbered all over the place. Sheesh Mom!

Don't say 40 sucks, I am 37 and must hear only good news from the front!