Hmm... Emotions and Reality Are Never Easy, Are They?

I'm not sure how I feel about this week's short story in English class.  Obviously The Drunkard was funny because it was in the Humor/Irony chapter of my over sized English book but it also hit home on some subjects that sometimes are too raw to talk about.  I don't even know if "raw" is the right word for me to use in others situations, but for me, its appropriate.

I have had some very personal experiences with alcoholics and they are not pretty.  It sometimes feels likes you are opening doors that never end when dealing with alcoholics at their worst.  Unfortunately, alcoholism is a common trait for both sides of my family.  When I read about he young boy begging for his father not to drink, it reminded my of times when I had to do that with my father.  It makes you sober up to reality even if you are not the one drinking and I think this happened with the boy in the story too.  I know what its like to know that your parent won't be getting up in the morning to go to work or when they stumble in at 1 AM promising they are "just fine."  It's a horrid reality that no one should have to experience.

This makes me think of the story when I see what they boy does for his father whether he did it intentionally or not.  When someone puts a child in a situation like that then somehow, someway that person will face consequences just like the father did in the story.  Reality will set in.  There are somethings that are just more important than quenching your own needs and desires.  The father in the story realizes this but only to the boys expense.

This story really hit home.  It reopened a wound only healed on the surface, but at the same time, this story reigns as my favorite because of the message it sends to it's audience.  Maybe I should keep it in mind the next time I have to face an uncomfortable situation with my family because they choose to fulfill their own desires without thinking about possible consequences.