bipolar dad

The Wolf Pack

What horrible thing could I have done? This happened around summer of 1977. We are moving again soon. We have been on a waiting list for a 4 bedroom apartment in the projects and one just opened up 5 blocks over in the same development…

After a few weeks enduring hazing, or my “welcome” to the neighborhood from the local kids, another “new” kid moved into the projects. I became accepted into the wolf pack. Another initiation into the neighborhood now, I did not get beat up as much. That was fine by me since they did not hit as hard as father did. Sadly, traits of my new surroundings along with the abuse at home were making me fit right into my new clan. I even made fun of them and took place in the new kid beat down. Was I in trouble for this? No!

By this time my father’s yelling and smacking me around became normal and daily. I was doing something wrong, no doubt, because why else would I be smacked. I was always lead to believe when everyone hit me it was because I really deserved it…So, what horrible thing could I have done? “F#%$ You A$$ Hole,” I said to one of the older kids playing with us. Yes, it was a bad thing to say and yes, swearing was the breaking point! I was told never to swear and I really did not but when you’re six and you’re playing tag with ten other kids and they are all saying it. Well, sometimes you do, too. This was just another of many extreme actions of my Bipolar Dad.

To be continued…