My dad was a drunk, a staggering lush who alienated every person he knew...

[zwyziec]

49. My Dad sent me to John Carroll and was an alcoholic as well

I probably come from the same generation. I look back at my family in Newburg Heights, Cleveland and see people who suffered through the depression, and the second world war, and the economic collapse, who were not college educated, worked their asses off and only had alcohol to escape from their boring, lack of opportunity lives.

Whose wages were stagnant, who had a house but not much else. Who were the true working poor.

Whose lives were lived in "quiet desperation".

Your Dad and my Dad did the best they could. They worked, struggled and fought their demons. They couldn't take vacations.

But in my family, when they drank, they sang! All the old depression songs. I love them all and think of them often.

Thanks for sharing this. God bless all Dads! As imperfect as they may be.