Along with Bananna Spiders, another great favorite was to put cock roaches in the microwave also. Why this was funny at the time is really anyones guess, but as 85DJ said. "It was cool". Reading the post again brought back more memories. I remember I did some messed up stuff there in that house. Although it was never brought to the groups attention (Thank God) it was handeled in house. Without going into explicit details, I will say it was the first time I ever "confessed" directly to a persons face, namely the house mother. In addition to apologizing to the house mother...dad was there also. As 85DJ mentioned he was ex-military and that only served to heighten my fear. I was however terribly remorsefull for what I had done and I truely felt horrible. I don't remember exactly how they responded/reacted to my purging of guilt/shame...but I do remember being "forgiven" and I felt "forgiven"....wow, what a concept, and what felt like a brand new experience. To this day as I look back checking my "forgiven status" by others, this incident is the one that stands out the most, perhaps it was my first. (and only?)
That home, to the best of my memory, was the most remarkable. I never really knew what a "normal" house hold was like, perhaps I give them too much credit, but they were the most "normal" people I had known up until that time. I felt safe there, I definately felt sheltered there. I am sure as in any family there was some messed up crap going on behind the scenes that I was un-aware of or simply don't remember. I know that family was one of the primary reasons I was on first phase for soooooo long, I remember thinking to myself that it never really mattered if I went home or not.
For whatever reason I remember it as a type of sanctuary from the horrors of the 9-to-9 grind. As 85DJ alluded to, there was alot of ball busting, but to my memory it lacked the venimious hatred that was latter experienced throughout the rest of my time in Straight. I remember the oldcomers coming into group afterschool and thinking "ahhhh not much longer...and we can go home". I never felt attacked by the two brothers and in fact they were good sports...One of our favorite things to do to one of them was to, as we were about to sleep, was to blurt out..."Hey, can ya hear 'L' breathing?" This for some reason drove him insaine---hearing his on breath repeatedly. Why this was fun? I dunno, I guess I never really knew if it really bothered him or not...but there was a sense of equality...he was no better than I was and after a day of belittleing condemnation it was fun to let our hair down and just be boys.
It was so odd reading 85DJ's account of the Ice-Tea routine. At the time I was reading it, I was drinking a huge glass of Ice-Tea (oddly still a favorite) I almost spewed the mouthfull I had all over my monitor. I began to think about all the feelings I have in regards to Straight. I have said many times that my feelings were mixed. This household, these parents, those oldcomers make up the majority of what good memories I have of that time. Perhaps I was naieve, and maybe inregards to that time period, I am still naieve. Yet, they are amoungst the best memories of my time in Straight. Considering they are among the few (good memories) that I do have...I will continue to call that home, that family, those parents and those oldcomers---Good Memories
