My mother was my father’s third wife. While that is not in itself strange, the fact that my father was 33 and my mother was 15 was. In fact, it was strange enough that my oldest brother, actually my half brother, is one year younger than my mother.
I am the middle child of 6 children, my oldest brother, and my older sister by my father’s first wife, the daughter by his second wife died at the age of 18 to leukemia, then me, my younger sister, and my younger brother. The boys are the bookends to the girls. And to make matters even stranger, both brothers share the same first name. I am, with the possible exception of George Foreman, the only person who can honestly say, this is my brother Homer and this is my other brother Homer. From what I understand, this was an error on the part of my mother obstetrician.
At one time, my older brother dated my mother’s middle sister. There was even talk of an engagement between the two of them. For a while, we children were confused as to whether our aunt would be our sister, or our brother would be our uncle. Thank goodness they had an argument and called off the engagement. It made things a lot less confusing.
I also have an uncle who is 3 months older than me and a niece who is 4 years younger than me. Family reunions are somewhat odd what with everyone being either of my mother’s generation or of my generation and no one in between.
I have always thought of myself as a cosmopolitan person, until Jeff Foxworthy started his “You may be a redneck if”. My mom called one Sunday to tell me that my younger brother had bought a jaguar wreck and put it in the yard without telling her. She didn’t find it until she mowed the grass. I had to hang my head as I realized, my family was rednecks!
You can believe it or not, but I swear on my bible it is all true .
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Reviewed by David Perry
10/2/2007
My Daughter's Aunt(my Sister), is younger than my Daughter. -signed: Northern Redneck.
Reviewed by LadyJtalks LadyJzTalkZone
6/30/2007
I believe it...and you will do good with a neat series like this. I look forward to it. Well done here. Lady J
I am, with the possible exception of George Foreman, the only person who can honestly say, this is my brother Homer and this is my other brother Homer.
Fascinating! I have a running joke here on AD with a very wacky guy named Ed Matlack, who lives in New Jersey. I sometimes post humorous poems about 'my other brother, Ed.'
Damn! Is the book completed so I can read the rest of the story. I thought my family was strange yours puts the icing on the cake.
But hey it makes for a great story.
My memories as an immigrant professional woman in Ottawa, Canada 47 years ago. A new life after having survived the liberal war of a new country Bangladesh on December 16, 1971.