FAMILY SILENCE

 

THE SILENT FAMILY

Not sure anybody wants to hear this, but the modern family is not what it is advertised to be.  Equal Opportunity.  Get a Job.  Get an education.  Get a life.  Your husband might have been cute when you found him in college, but let’s face it, 10 years later and you have graduated, have a good job, and yes, travel and this is the time of the year, when somebody has to decorate the house and get ready for the end-of-year celebrations. 

Traditional Family Life. 

Can suggest I am focusing on getting their attention:  Daughter.  Wife.  Her Children.  Ok, explaining all the details is not going to win a lot of friends, just now.  Wife died in child-birth circumstance, a few months after the children were born.  At first I thought it was up to me, to do all the things she might do.  But wait, there is more.

With children comes ritual and noise.  At some point I must have said,

“Please G-D.  I pray for a little peace and quiet.” 

And guess what.  By the magic of email and stuff like that, my wishes came true.  Now it is me, and no pets or children to pee on the carpet.  Just Family Silence.  My blog for today.

 

Last week the news was all about C.I.A director Petraeus and some people in Florida trolling the military circuit for high ranking generals and a connection to power and access to the

confident-few-elite in government and on the military base just down the street from where they live.  Came down to a girl fight, where one has an affair with a married man, the other wants in on the action, and sees opportunity. 

FBI dude and email and conduct unbecoming to the gentlemen involved, and one thing leads to another, and I get a notice from my family, saying:  “No Email.” 

And truth is without electronic transfer and email and electronic-chatter, I feel cut off.  You know the feeling.  Significant Other, be it wife or girlfriend or somebody you want to sleep with, and you fight or disagree or just become exhausted and say the wrong thing.  Next thing you get the notice: 

“Sleep on the Couch.  Stay out until you come to your senses. As if that will happen.”

Wonder if this really happens.  And before you know it, Family Silence prevails.  Note on the kitchen table.  “Gone for a Month.  No Email.  Business Trip.  Or something.”  And that is how it seems.  Modern Day Affairs.  Momentous Consequence.  No dog, nor children peeing on the carpet.  Not complaining, but takes a while to realize what happens when inappropriate behavior brings into focus:

The Silent Family.  And no email.

Cyber-stalking at the highest level.  Complaints by Jill Kelley.  Not sure if any of this is directly related to me, but I can say it is very quiet around my house.  Not saying this is bad.  Time for a business trip of my own.  Money Business.  Seek sunshine in Bangkok, maybe.  Anywhere but here. 

Side-step the question, what must we do to fill the house with children and laughter and good-will.  Holiday sounds and presents under the tree, and yes a cheerfully decorated home.  What to do?  What to do? 

Without email,  there is no interest in the question.  Not sure what is really going on.  Do men ever comprehend the question:  “What do you make of this?”  Man and Woman.  Serious Situation.  NO email.  No notes.  Nothing.  Nada.

 

 

Things happen.  Inspired by anonymous.  A world out there and some how it comes back to influence me and my well-being.  Forget about the reason for the fight, suggest it was just a lot of noise and family tension.  Comes with raising kids, or having too many unbroken and not potty-trained moments on the couch and rug.  Who knows.  But is not a laughing matter.  Results in Family Silence. 

And No Email.  The Kiss of Death in modern times.  Affectionate but Platonic.  I would like that.  And now I am thinking.  What can I buy them and put under the tree, that might bring noise and laughter and a burst of excitement that begins with,

“Honey, I’m home.  P.S.  Walk the dogs and change their diapers.  We are home. Wake UP.  ”

Holiday Cheer.  A blog about The Silent Family.  And yes, no email or notes.  But we can forget all that.  Home for the Holidays.  Let’s get this party started.  Wishing you happiness and Holiday Cheer.  One and All.