When my Dad passed, almost 4 years ago, I was the only one out of my siblings that had my own place and had the money and ability to get my Dad cremated and take his ashes. Because let's be real, my brothers David and John, along with my nephew David Jr, were all living with my Dad. As was my niece and sister. Damn, now that I write that literally the majority of my family was living with him.
Anyway, when he passed, the situation was:
David Sr was basically bed bound, his kid David Jr. was the one getting him food/cigarettes/etc. He was working side jobs and supposedly helping my Dad with his business. John was randomly helping my Dad with the business, a lot of the physical items and packaging. My sister was in the hospital and the Monday after my Dad died became a ward of the state. My niece was working 2 jobs to help pay the bills and keep them surviving. I don't know if David Jr was doing anything. Well other than getting high.
It's just kinda crazy, the whole thing.
So then my brother, David, died last month. And for a multitude of reasons, I was once again the one who could afford and ability to coordinate (this time from 3,000 miles away) his cremation. Also again, lucky me (sarcasm this time) to be the keeper of his ashes.
My brother John, lives in a homeless shelter. My nephew David Jr (his son), is homeless and I have no idea where he is anymore. Diane is still a ward of the state.
Cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον, "sleeping place")
It's just...I know that being the youngest typically means I wouldn't be the one handling this stuff in the "average" or "normal" family situation, until I was the last one I suppose. But I guess I've been the lucky one in that I've been more stable, with jobs and life in general. But damn, this shit is exhausting. It really fucking is. I am tired of this stupidity that my family keeps living through. At what point can they make better decisions and just stop this horrendous cycle of asininity.
So, here is what is left of my brother. A $90 urn and his ashes and bits.
