Steve's Story
Reflections on his Childhood
Steve as a young man
Steve started sharing with me what his life was like growing up. It made me want to cry for him, I guess I felt a little sorry for him, but I especially admired his dignity in rising above it all. When he told me this, he was matter-of-fact without a hint of self-pity. His mother had died when he was 3 years old and he told me that there were relatives who wanted his sisters, but didn't want him. An aunt and uncle in Oregon raised his youngest sister, the other sister and Steve were raised by various relatives. His father never took care of them and went from odd job to odd job. Sometimes he would drive a taxi, then he would play poker. If he won, the kids got chicken. If he lost, they maybe got bologna sandwiches, if anything. Steve told me that he and his sister figured out he'd had 22 children with his numerous wives.
Steve and his other sister were shuffled around between relatives. If their father got mad at whomever they were staying with, he'd take them away. When he couldn't find anyone to care for them, he'd put them in the local orphanage. Steve was an angry child, but was labeled as difficult, when all he really needed was love. Unfortunately, no one really knew how to handle him except his sister.
Steve was smoking by the age of 12 and drinking by the age of 14, if not sooner. He did odd jobs and took care of himself as best he knew how. From the way he talked, it sounded like he was living on the streets. He joined the army when he was old enough, and found himself in San Antonio, TX. He was also stationed in Panama, which is where he injured his knee. He also married for the first time during that time, but the marriage didn't last very long. He was drinking regularly and his life revolved around alcohol.
One of his uncles was an alcoholic, but had managed to sober up and turn his life around. He tried to help Steve, but he wasn't ready to quit drinking. He was barely 20 at the time and many people told him he was too young to be an alcoholic and said things like, "I spilled more than you drank." It was what he wanted to hear and he was off and running again. Steve would hop trains when he was drunk, then pass out. He would come to and find himself in other town. He would have to find a newspaper to find out where he was. And when it was. When he found himself in Dallas, he ended up staying for 25 years. He got married again and they had 2 children, a son and a daughter. That marriage didn't last either.
Compared to what Steve had gone through, my life had been a breeze. My basic needs had always been met. I always had a roof over my head, clothes on my back and I never missed any meals against my will.
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10:58 AM 06/29/2003