Learning from Hardships

The year was 1989; in a small trailer live a small country family. The mother Sheri, had a problem, it was with alcohol. Her two sons, Robert and Gabriel, suffered the most. Robert was 12 years old and had to take care of his ten year old brother. It was hard but it was something he was use to.

In the morning the boys got ready for school on their own. They had to be very quit because Sheri was sleeping. Again she had come home late at night or maybe early in the morning. It just depended on when the bar keeper cut her off. The boys had to walk to the bus stop; it was over a mile away. They would go to school trying to ignore what they had to come home to. That happened to be nothing. On most nights the boys had to fend for themselves. They would stop by the bar; they knew that their mom would be there, to ask for a little bit of money for dinner. Some times they would get luck, but that was on days Sheri was to drunk to care.

The two years went by, and nothing change. Robert grew up and started counting the days till he could leave. Gabriel held out hope that his family could be a normal family. It was truly hard for him as Robert stopped coming home on most nights. He had to fend for himself with out help. His mother was drinking even more. She had many husbands that came and went. All ignored him just like his mom did.

One day at school the school bully started making fun of Gabriel’s mother, and her drinking. He couldn’t take it any more and snapped. Lunging at the bully, he knocked him over with ease; then started to punch him over and over again. The school principle had to pull Gabriel off the boy. The principle called both mothers to pick up their sons.

Sheri had to leave the bar early, which upset her greatly. She went out to her car, stumbling and weaving. She put the car into reverse and backed up. The car was all over the road. She was able to get to the school in one piece, but no one knew how.

She walked into the school yelling at everyone, till she saw Gabriel sitting on the bunch outside the office. Gabriel felt a chill go down his spine, the kind that makes your hair stand up on end. He knew he was in for it. She grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him outside almost shoving him inside the car. Gabriel was so scared he curled up into a ball on the floor of the car. He did that when she drove drunk.