The Search
My Long Journey to My Brother Art
Growing up on Malibu Beach as a child of the 1950's,
I roamed the beach and hillsides of Malibu। I have very early memories of this part of my life. The beach house , at high tide the waves splashing my bedroom window. My days were my own, freedom like Tom Sawyer. I was barley out of the toddler years. There were five of us My Mother, Father Older brother and sister.
My parents were partners in a beach front restaurant with my Uncle। Things were very good for a while, they were busy with work, lots of parties our neighbors were the movie stars of that period। A life many us dream about.
I was not the only child with the luxury of freedom, my sister became pregnant at the age of 15. I remember being in my room when the big discussion took place, with the baby’s father and his parents. A scandal was happening in our lives. In the 50's such things were kept quiet and they had "homes for unwed Mothers". Babies were put up for adoption often with out the mother ever seeing her baby. I was told my sister was visiting a turkey farm. She returned home with her beautiful bundle, a baby girl. She was now an unwed Mother with a child. Not acceptable at the time.
I was ten years old my parents spiraled out of control , drinking had become a top priority for my parents, fighting was constant, my Father in a drunken stupor brought a woman home with him while my mother was a sleep. My brother Art was not sleeping he was awake and 17 years old., Dad was his step father. There was a psychical fight, Art knew his time with his family had come to an end. He left the house.
My memories after this are sketchy. The out of control lives of heavy drinking took a tole on the marriage, and the business. Everything was lost. I was sleeping one night and I was awakened by a state worker who I remember telling me my parents were killed in a car crash. I became a ward of the state and was placed in foster care. Did I grieve at the time I am not sure I do not have those memories. A lost time in my life, an absence of what happened, to destroy this family that I so needed.
Eventually, I was placed in a home with a good family. I stayed for several years and I was
taught about the printing business, attend school and lived in Santa Monica. I was ok and being taken care of. I was doing well considering I had lost my home and parents. When I was starting my junior year of high school. My sister rescued me and I move to Montana to finish high school. A new path to walk. She had since married her daughter’s Father, Doug. He was her second husband, after the birth of my niece she ran away from home and married Joe she had two more children my nephews Scott and Joey.
My life journey would take me many places, I would accomplish a lot, I never lost the anger and eventually the path I had been walking would take a new direction.
I was not sure about Art or where he was I know I saw him at some point, I knew he had been in and out jail for scuffles. I remember his firs t wife. I do remember Montana! Feeling secure with my Sister and her Family. I was loved and I loved back. We were a family my family.
I graduated from high school and moved forward। I joined the Marines - I went to the battle lines of the Vietnam War. I was a kid that learned quickly how to be a man. When I returned from the war I would , again loose my family that I loved so deeply.
By Peter
to be continued
