California in the 60s

My grandfather was an alcholic, and I don't have much to say about that. He died before I was born, but my mother remembers spending a large part of her childhood in bars. When she was young my grandparents moved to California for a short period of time and my mother told me a story about how they were sitting in a bar with another father and small children. The man lived next door to the bar, and the little girl asked if my mother was allowed to go play with them in the trailer. She was permitted, and she had fun jumping up and down on the family's bed, which is something she was never permitted to do at home. This is something she remembered when I asked her today.

I realized that I don't know enough about what my parents' lives were truly like when they were children. We talk about my daughter or my siblings or work, but nothing else. They won't be around forever, and I want to know now.