Out of sight but never far from mind lurks family lore...every family has unspoken secrets, truths and knowledge. It's the something different about your family that no one really talks about it; it lives with you, you grow up with it but it's never quite real. My older brother Rob, (I am second oldest of five) has a dad all his own while the remaining four of us share a
A blonde stud I believe is the proper term. (see left) The lore (which is really history and old truth) is our fiesty 1950s wild child mom fell for this overly muscled blonde guy while he was passing through as part of the regional wrestling tour. He went on to romance and marry her then install her in his Mom's home somewhere in the Seattle area. While there she became pregnant with said brother Rob.
The shine fell off the knight's armor when Mom learned somehow that her shiny guy had a wife and another family down in California. So in a very hushed and no no 1950s environment she returned pregnant to her family in Eastern WA. She became a waitress with a thriving six-month son at the now defunct Piper's Cafe.
Enter through the front of the cafe door came our Dad, Lloyd--who was a fine buck in his own style. A recent honorably discharged Navy guy who was living the single guy's life...fishing, winning dance contestsm driving fast cars and getting in and out of a fast marriage himself to the fast lady in town we only know as 'Evelyn.'
Dad and Mom were both looking for something to make their lives stable. Thank you Piper's Cafe for the introduction! The lore is Dad fell in love with six-month old boy first then his Mom since Dad is a huge kid guy. The folks were married within a few months and I arrived nine months and 2 weeks exactly later followed by a sister a year later then two more brothers--which btw, has nothing to do with this tale of lore.
All through our growing up years Rob kept two tattered black pieces of paper taped to his wall. On these construction weight due of papers were torn and yellowed newspaper clippings of his real dad, Eric Pedersen. Rob didnt want to know anything about this Eric until he married (projection on my part). But once he began to make inquiries he learned his dad had already passed, leaving quite a few children and his wife. I am abbreviating details of his journey and feelings (since I dont know many details) to find his Dad. But he finally joined Facebook just a few weeks ago and found a homepage dedicated to his real dad, Eric. It is maintained by real dad Eric's son Eric. Rob got the courage to contact Eric regarding their shared Dad.
As of this very day, there is an announcement posted on Eric's FB page introducing his brother Rob. My brother Rob is soaring with happiness. The happy is leaping off brother Rob's homepage and I can see and hear and feel so clearly how it is completing him.
The elephant in the room during all our lives (more than 54 years to date) was the unmet father of my older brother. His father will remain unmet but the family connection has been made. So the family lore has an ending and a beginning. I am leaping inside for my brother. It's fantastical. The lore can end now and my brother can live his life more fully.
This is the only formal photo of the five of us. Left to right, Bill, Jerrie, Cyndi, self, Rob
I give thanks to Piper's Cafe for having a front door and thanks to my Dad for walking through it to take my Mom and my brother into his life and for the generous hearts of my older brother's newly connected siblings for likewise opening doors made of heart for him.
Let's stay happy shall we?
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