In talking to my network of friends and business associates, I've
discovered that everybody seems to have a family skeleton in their closet,
a "Black Sheep," meaning there is some relative who you can count on to
disrupt the harmony of the family. This could be a nutty aunt or uncle, a
brother or sister, son or daughter, you get the idea. Time and again they
seem to go out of their way to embarrass the family. Consequently, we like
to keep them locked up at major family functions such as at weddings or
get-togethers. We keep them at arm's length as we do not want their screwy
life to disrupt our own and pray they do not drain the family emotionally
or financially.
I always found it interesting that American presidents have had to keep a
lid on certain relatives. For example, Jimmy Carter was always worried
about the antics of his brother Billy who was best known for his beer and
registering as a foreign agent on behalf of the Libyan Government. Ronald
Reagan worried about what his offspring might say in public. I think
Patti's pictorial in Playboy probably pushed him over the edge.
But the presidents are not alone in this regard. I think everyone has some
relative, either distant or close, that has caused heartbreak for the
family either because of money, substance abuse, something said out of
turn, committing a crime, or just their whacky personality. I remember my
father-in-law had an estranged brother living in Florida whom he hadn't
spoken to in years over a fallout they had regarding the care of their
elderly parents. Once a year though he would call his brother on the
phone; if the brother answered, my father-in-law would promptly hang up on
him before saying a word. He just wanted to know "If that bastard was
still alive."
It seems strange we all have some dysfunctional person in the family we
have to deal with. It is very awkward for all involved and is something we
don't like to openly discuss with others but I think it's a fact of life.
I think the old adage sums it up nicely, "You can pick your friends, but
you cannot pick your family."
Maybe this is why we liked such shows in the 1950's like "Leave it to
Beaver," "Father knows Best," or "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet"
("Adventures"?) Critics claimed their squeaky clean personas were
unrealistic but it was a lifestyle we all yearned for. Today, shows like
"The Simpsons" and "Married with Children" reflect life as we know it,
complete with embarrassing relatives and situations which many claim are
more realistic.
Frankly, I think if we honestly had a choice, we would rather live more
like Ozzie and Harriet than Homer and Marge Simpson. But such is not to
be.
Tim Bryce is a writer and management consultant located in Palm Harbor,
Florida. You can find his work on the Internet at:
phmainstreet.com.
