The beginning of Y
2003-11-04 | 10:09 p.m.

I'm supposed to be working on the risk management portion of my business enterprise, so I'm doing this.

I've been thinking about starting a chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans here. Well, I was. I wrote the main office last week and have not received a response. I'm disappointed in that.

My real purpose in beginning this entry was to continue with the backstory of me, Andy.

I shared about my mom's childhood, so now I need to give some attention to the source of my Y chromosomes.

In 1898 and 1899, Big Momma and Big Dad were born, respectively. I have no idea where they were born or how they came to meet. I do know that they had a girl sometime in the 1920s. Her name was Nell (she died a few months ago). Then Big Momma conceived again, only to lose the child. She conceived again, only to lose the child. Yet again she conceived, only to lose the child once more. They were a determined pair (and this was during the depression, so it's not like they could afford any other kind of entertainment). Around May 1929, she conceived once more, and this time, it stuck.

As the saying goes, it is darkest before dawn, and it was during this time that Troy was born. Somewhere in the backwoods of East Texas, a winter storm had blown in. Lightning pierced the black sky, the wind shrieked maniacally, and rain beat hard against the small windows of a tiny home. An agony filled cry escaped her mouth as blood poured forth from her gaping womb, followed by the rant of a boy newly born. Wolves were seen ravenously devouring a lamb just outside the nearest town. Cows did not give milk. A black swan was found dead near the church. That day was February 6, 1930.

Actually, I have no idea how it happened, but I have a feeling chanting and hagstones were involved. No really...what probably happened is that Big Momma's friend or midwife type person was there and helped her deliver Troy. Troy Lee. And Big Dad may have been drunk. He died in the 60s, from a stroke I think. He was an alcoholic and smoked.

So Troy grew up in East Texas with his sisters Nell, Frances, Joy, and a brother named Roy. Yeah, that's all of them. Sometime in the 1930s, Troy's uncle Andy was killed. He was pinned between two vehicles while walking to get gas. He was 30. When I was born...oh...I'll save that one.

Anyway, my aunt Frances told me that Troy learned to drive a tractor roughly about the time he could stand. I am thinking this might be an exaggeration, but I have no doubt he was put to work at an early age. My aunt Frances holds Troy in the highest regard. She always brags about what a hard worker he was when they were young. I think he had to assume the role of "man of the house" since his own dad was a drunk. That's just speculation, but I know his siblings adore him. It baffles me. But then Aunt Frances is a pretty liberal lady. Honestly, she's very cool. She was always my favorite on that side of the family. She let me play with scissors when I was three. The real kind, not the little plastic kiddy kind.

Oh, fast forward. I really don't have a lot of Aunt Frances stories, so I'm going to put them in here. The very first time someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, was when I was at Aunt Frances's house. I must have been three. I responded with "a fairy." Everyone laughed and laughed. I, of course, meant that I wanted magical powers and the ability to help people. It turns out I got my wish. I grew up to become a fairy, just not one with powers.

Also, I used to spend the night there sometimes with my cousin Joe. We would get up at 6:45 and run to the railroad tracks to watch the train go by. I can't believe my mom went for this. She must not have known. Also, what on earth was so great about that train that I was getting up so early to watch it? I have no idea.

Back to Troy. When he was 8 (eight!!!), he decided he didn't need to go to school anymore. So he hit his teacher in the face and crawled out a window, never to return to school. I think he started smoking around this age as well. Keep in mind he was 8 in 1938.

When he was about 17, he met a young woman named Nita. He wanted to date her. He was a baptist (I still have no idea where this came from. I don't think he went to church), and she was/is a Jehovah's Witness. Her parents told Troy he was not to see her. Whether it was because of religious differences or because he was probably already known as a "bad boy" type, I don't know. I imagine it was a little of both. Troy has always done what he wanted regardless of what anyone else said or thought or wanted. So he would sneak Nita out and take her places or they would walk around town. They were poor, I am sure, so they probably didn't do anything fancy. I really really doubt that anything physical happened either, because Nita is a woman of virtue. She probably thought she was being quite scandalous for simply walking next to him.

They were married and in June 1948, my oldest brother Jimmy was born. Then came Brenda (who died in February 2000 from a stroke/heart attack at the age of 49). Then came Marvin. Then finally Jackie who hates me. Actually, maybe Marvin was born before Brenda. I never can remember who was older. No matter. Marvin is the only one having birthdays now. Yes, I am a cold hearted bastard. Anyway...

Troy would have been a model husband and father if it had not been for the fact the he had an affair and left Nita with four children to raise. He abandoned them in the mid to late 1950s. Can you imagine being single mom with 4 kids at that time? I can't. Nita is an amazing woman. She never told me how much Troy had hurt her (yes I used to talk to Nita. I was very fond of her), until one day when she and I happened to be visiting Jimmy at the same time. We used to play scrabble all the time. She always won. She's very sharp. Anyway, we were talking and she told me how he had left her with four kids. I was livid, and then she was so apologetic. She assumed someone had already told me. Anyway, what a jerk. I can't beleive they talk to him. Honestly, they don't really..not much.

But back to the story. He married a woman named Wanda, who was barren. So they adopted a boy named...no, that's not right. I used to think that was the story, but Wanda had the boy from a previous marriage I think. Anyway, his name is...Ronnie, I think. I never met him. He hated Troy and ran away from home in a brand new Z28 that Troy gave him. Somewhere along the way, they got divorced. No one ever really had much to say about Wanda. I guess she was nice? I have no idea. All I know is that Troy adopted this kid and gave him stuff and the kid still hated him. Just goes to show that you can't buy love. Of course with me, he didn't even try.

So at this point in the story, Troy is single. He has five children. One is an adopted boy who never spoke to him again (we have no idea where he is). Four are living with their mother who by this time had married a very stern but kind provider name Jake. I was always afraid of Jake. He's a big man with a sour face. Scary to a small child. And all he ever did was complain. I actually just rolled my eyes at the thought of him. Nita is such a gracious woman to have had to put up with the two husbands she has had. Jake and Troy actually get along really well, which is odd. Maybe Troy felt guilty about letting another man take care of his children. No, that can't be it. He did the same thing with me and absolutely hated ..HATED/HATES.. the man I call Dad.

Troy was a truck driver during this time and was driving cross country. If you'll recall, my Mom had packed a bag and decided to run away. Can you guess how they met?

And that will be the next story.

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