Gerald is my father-in-law. He and my mother-in-law divorced when my wife was two and he just never was much in my wife’s life. He didn’t make promises to her he couldn’t keep and he didn’t reject her, he just wasn’t there. My mother-in-law wasn’t the only failed marriage he had, he was married at least once before her and has been married at least twice since her. I think his current marriage will last until he dies.

Gerald has fathered a number of children. As best as I can tell he was never a dead-beat dad, he just wasn’t there. Golf and work came before family, it seems. They are all grown now with children and grandchildren of their own.

I’ve always liked Gerald. He’s probably been the best father-in-law a man could ask for. He has never butted into my family’s business and never been a source of contention between me and my wife. My wife would have liked a closer relationship with him growing up but she has accepted him for who and what he is and loves him as a daughter ought to love a father.

Gerald has been somewhat crippled since he was a boy. He had some type of bone disease in one leg that left it a few inches shorter than his other. This condition has given him problems several times over the years landing him in the hospital and in intensive care units more than once. He’s always recovered and gone back to work in his HVAC business.

Gerald is now in his late 70s. Last week complications in his bad leg led to a stroke. He’s suffering from paralysis to his left side, the side his bad leg is on. This past weekend the complications that led to the stroke also led to that leg being amputated. I don’t think he knows this yet.

If Gerald makes it out of the hospital I have no doubts that he will recover and probably even get to the point that he will need a prosthesis for the missing leg. If nothing else Gerald is a fighter. My concern now is for my wife, her step-mother(s) and her half siblings. While Gerald has strained all of his relationships over the years his family still loves him. Even several of his ex-wives.

Keep fighting, Gerald. I’m confident you can recover. This next year will be interesting.

About three weeks ago my son, who is a member of the Tennessee Army National Guard, found out that he will soon be heading to Camp Bucca in Iraq to help guard the camp. At that time he was told he would be stationed for between six to eight weeks someplace in the US to train for his mission and after the training would immediately be shipped to his duty station in Iraq.

Friday he found out he would leave on June 7^th for Fort Dix in New Jersey for his training. Today I read this. I’m more than just a little worried about him.

I’ve got to travel back home to Chattanooga after lunch today for a viewing at a funeral home this afternoon and to be a pallbearer in a funeral tomorrow. This is such a tragedy on more levels than I feel comfortable talking about on this weblog but I do want to address one thing, some people can’t be trusted to live in society.

Andrea Justice was the sister of my brother’s wife. She was a hard working single mother of Brianna. Brianna was a bright, inquisitive young girl who was a delight to know. Brianna loved animals and couldn’t bear to think of any animal going hungry or being abused. In all the time I was around Brianna I never saw here misbehave or act disrespectful to anyone.

A little over a year ago Andrea met and married Tony Pope. About two months ago Andrea gave birth to their son, Christian. Now Tony had been in jail for killing someone but he served a short sentence and was out on parole when he and Andrea married. Andrea’s family figured it must have been something like an accident with him serving such a short sentence. He seemed like a nice enough fellow to the family so I don’t think a whole lot was asked or thought about it at the time.

However, Tony had not been imprisoned for accidently killing someone. Tony had beat his girlfriend over the head with a frying pan. He claimed she came after him with a knife during his trial but he was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. He served five years and was paroled.

Monday night, May 2, 2005, Andrea informed Tony she and the children were moving out and that she wanted a divorce. Tony responded by beating Andrea over the head with a hammer, killing her, strangling Brianna and kicking her in the chest, killing her. He then got little Christian out of his crib and began battering him against the wall until he was dead.

Tony was picked up by the police as he went into work the following morning. His parole was immediately revoked and he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. At least we can only hope that he never graces society with his presence again.

Anyone can be pushed to a breaking point to commit violence on another person. I’m a firm believer in that. I’m a firm believer in forgiveness, rehabilitation and second chances but when the person committing the violence is controlling or just downright mean I can’t accept the risk they pose to the public of allowing them any benefit of doubt. These people just don’t change often enough to think that any of them can change. None of them should ever be allowed back out into the general population after they have been convicted.

People like Tony are all around us. If you know of someone who is battering their loved ones you have two choices, wait until they kill or get them off the streets.

I got off the phone a few minutes ago with my father. He had some chilling news. My brother’s sister-in-law and her two children were killed by her husband.

I bought my son an electric scooter for his fourteenth birthday for $200. He turned fifteen this past May. during that year and a few months he road that little scooter into the ground. The front wheel bearing was completely shot and the scooter is generally worn out and will no longer charge.

Yesterday I read this aticle about Target recalling an electric scooter. This very same scooter my son has. We took it back last night for a full refund. He is beside himself with his new found riches.