When Blood Collides
Viewing comments for Chapter 76 "Damaging Laughter?"A family's love is tested.
20 total reviews
Comment from N.K. Wagner
There has to be more to your story or I see no evidence of abuse--not in what you've just written. The panty thing was maybe overdone, but little kids' bottoms are cute. And your sister was just learning to walk, so she was very much a baby. Did she remember being traumatized by the arrangement other than naturally wanting to be in her own home? : Nancy.
reply by the author on 25-Jan-2016
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There has to be more to your story or I see no evidence of abuse--not in what you've just written. The panty thing was maybe overdone, but little kids' bottoms are cute. And your sister was just learning to walk, so she was very much a baby. Did she remember being traumatized by the arrangement other than naturally wanting to be in her own home? : Nancy.
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 25-Jan-2016
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Barbara didn't remember a thing. It's all conjecture based on my mother's story and her insistence that my sister wasn't the same child she sent there (her words). If abuse happened, it's not likely Jeanne would report it.
Comment from abbasjoy
It's really difficult trying to get someone to see things as they really are, when that person is fixated on the idea that things went the way they saw it. To that person their reality is truth, even if it is not.
Perhaps it's the emotional pain that Barbara was feeling which made her respond to you the way she did.
Some family members are so complicated, but they are all we've got, so we learn to live with their foibles.
Well done.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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It's really difficult trying to get someone to see things as they really are, when that person is fixated on the idea that things went the way they saw it. To that person their reality is truth, even if it is not.
Perhaps it's the emotional pain that Barbara was feeling which made her respond to you the way she did.
Some family members are so complicated, but they are all we've got, so we learn to live with their foibles.
Well done.
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Emotional pain for sure. I started a bio of her a year ago, but left it to start this one. Thanks for the insightful review. Glad to see you back.
Comment from boxergirl
Hi Shari,
It is always rocky ground when we start divulging things from our past. Barb was too young to remember but she is old enough now to hear it. Sounds like you did the right thing and you treaded lightly when you needed to.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Hi Shari,
It is always rocky ground when we start divulging things from our past. Barb was too young to remember but she is old enough now to hear it. Sounds like you did the right thing and you treaded lightly when you needed to.
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Thanks, BG. Good insight here.
Comment from sibhus
Hmm, reminds me of my Grandfathers family. There were eight brothers and sisters with tons of wild stories that we weren't supposed to talk about, his family was dead to us. I started working out at my Aunt's farm, when I was in high school, and she started letting things out of the bag. I should probably write my own book. This was an interesting chapter, and now I'm curious as to what brought on Jeanne's suicide.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Hmm, reminds me of my Grandfathers family. There were eight brothers and sisters with tons of wild stories that we weren't supposed to talk about, his family was dead to us. I started working out at my Aunt's farm, when I was in high school, and she started letting things out of the bag. I should probably write my own book. This was an interesting chapter, and now I'm curious as to what brought on Jeanne's suicide.
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Go for it, husky.
Since most of the people in my story have passed on, I don't worry about getting sued. LOL
The suicide story still shocks me. You'll find out why.
Comment from mountainwriter49
OK, Shari,
Where's the next chapter? You've developed this sister to sister dialogue to the extend that layered memories are coming together. I recall how suicide was not talked about in the old days. I remember hushed discussions in my family and wasn't until I was an adult that it was discussed, not freely, but with some degree of transparency.
As usual, your prose is flawless as is your ability to tell very personal stories.
Ray
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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OK, Shari,
Where's the next chapter? You've developed this sister to sister dialogue to the extend that layered memories are coming together. I recall how suicide was not talked about in the old days. I remember hushed discussions in my family and wasn't until I was an adult that it was discussed, not freely, but with some degree of transparency.
As usual, your prose is flawless as is your ability to tell very personal stories.
Ray
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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I'm sitting on a cloud after reading your last line.
Mom said she never told me it was cancer, but as I doubt that she would have mention suicide to us since we were teenagers, a vulnerable time of life.
Shari
Comment from judiverse
I can understand that Barbara didn't take kindly to having to live several months with Jeanne. She could easily interpret it as a sign that her mother didn't want her. Although the droopy drawers were funny to others, poor Barbara as a child didn't like them making fun of her. It's strange how those incidents prey on a child's mind and affect his or her opinions of others. You do a great job of interpreting the feelings of Barbara and of explaining your own. You certainly end with quite a revelation--that Jeanne committed suicide. Something the family probably didn't want to discuss too much. judi
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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I can understand that Barbara didn't take kindly to having to live several months with Jeanne. She could easily interpret it as a sign that her mother didn't want her. Although the droopy drawers were funny to others, poor Barbara as a child didn't like them making fun of her. It's strange how those incidents prey on a child's mind and affect his or her opinions of others. You do a great job of interpreting the feelings of Barbara and of explaining your own. You certainly end with quite a revelation--that Jeanne committed suicide. Something the family probably didn't want to discuss too much. judi
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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I have to wonder how this changed her. That was Mother's perception, of course. I was too young to notice anything. She seemed happy enough to me.
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Those childhood perceptions can really linger. judi
Comment from Rosalyne
Hi, Shari.
I'm sure this wasn't easy to write. You've shared many painful memories that have happened, but done so with elegance and honesty. Both stories in this chapter, Barb losing her underpants and the news about the death of Jeanne are huge events that had happened in your life.
Take care, my friend!
Bye
Hugs
Rosalyne :)
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Hi, Shari.
I'm sure this wasn't easy to write. You've shared many painful memories that have happened, but done so with elegance and honesty. Both stories in this chapter, Barb losing her underpants and the news about the death of Jeanne are huge events that had happened in your life.
Take care, my friend!
Bye
Hugs
Rosalyne :)
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Thanks again for your insightful review, Rosalyne, and the six star rating.
It is tough to write because my family would die a second time if they knew I were airing the secrets!
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Hi, Shari.
The way you're writing has been sincere and honest. You're not doing this to hurt anyone, rather releasing so much you've had to carry silently for many years. This is commendable!
Bye, my friend.
Hugs
Rosalyne :)
Comment from joann r romei
It is odd, today no-one would let a kid walk around with underwear falling due to all the pedophile awareness, but back then something like that was cute, Reminds me of the Coppertone ad.
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reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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It is odd, today no-one would let a kid walk around with underwear falling due to all the pedophile awareness, but back then something like that was cute, Reminds me of the Coppertone ad.
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Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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You're right, joann. Society has brought this issue to the public at last.
Comment from Dean Kuch
"Had Uncle Todd pull(ed) up my baby sister's panties?"---"pulled" up my baby sister's panties?
Wow! That would be quite a revelation. Thinking a relative had died of an incurable disease is one thing. But hearing from your older sister than someone who took care of them while they were a toddler killed themselves is a horse of an entirely different color.
Barb was obviously shocked at this disclosure. And why shouldn't she be? She seemed to have little recollection of her time spent with her Uncle Todd and Aunt Jeanne. But, it's said that we really retain very little of our experiences until we are about four of five years of age. Perhaps in barb's case that was a good thing.
Great work yet again on your latest chapter, Shari.
I enjoyed reading it.
~Dean
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reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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"Had Uncle Todd pull(ed) up my baby sister's panties?"---"pulled" up my baby sister's panties?
Wow! That would be quite a revelation. Thinking a relative had died of an incurable disease is one thing. But hearing from your older sister than someone who took care of them while they were a toddler killed themselves is a horse of an entirely different color.
Barb was obviously shocked at this disclosure. And why shouldn't she be? She seemed to have little recollection of her time spent with her Uncle Todd and Aunt Jeanne. But, it's said that we really retain very little of our experiences until we are about four of five years of age. Perhaps in barb's case that was a good thing.
Great work yet again on your latest chapter, Shari.
I enjoyed reading it.
~Dean
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The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Thanks for noting the spag, Dean. The "plot" thickens in the next post.
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No worries, Shari. I think the story is rolling along just fine.
~Dean
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No worries, Shari. I think the story is rolling along just fine.
~Dean
Comment from Jay Squires
I guess what I like about your chapters, Shari, is the sense of an intelligent and analytical mind interpreting events in your past. And yet you keep it all as exciting as fiction.
"I went over that with Mother too. I could have sworn she told us our aunt had cancer. Do you remember that? [Missing closed quote.]
At least, I had distracted her with a story to equal her own. [Meaning her mother didn't really tell her about Jeanne committing suicide?]
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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I guess what I like about your chapters, Shari, is the sense of an intelligent and analytical mind interpreting events in your past. And yet you keep it all as exciting as fiction.
"I went over that with Mother too. I could have sworn she told us our aunt had cancer. Do you remember that? [Missing closed quote.]
At least, I had distracted her with a story to equal her own. [Meaning her mother didn't really tell her about Jeanne committing suicide?]
Comment Written 24-Jan-2016
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2016
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Thanks for catching the spag. Yes, I'm trying hard to see all points of view and let the reader draw conclusions. I don't know if Barb knew the truth about Jeanne's death, but for the sake of drama and a need to include this information, I did a little fudging. :-) Appreciate the exceptional rating especially when it comes from you, dear friend.