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Today on my drive into work, I was thinking about the way people play favorites toward their children and grandchildren. It's not fair, but it happens. It happened in my house growing up with my father, and my mother's father was notorious for it. The universe has a way of balancing things out, so being a favorite child or grandchild is not without its drawbacks. Favored ones pay for their status by earning the scorn of those who are not favored.
My grandfather's children and grandchildren are sharply divided into two camps: those who remember him fondly despite his many flaws, and those who can't say his name with sneering. Those of on his A list got praise and affection from the old man, because he was kind toward those he loved. But he didn't love all of us equally. In fact, I don't think he loved some of us at all.
To the chagrin of some of my older cousins on our grandfather's B list, the princess of the A list was my cousin Leslie. That this adopted outsider should be the favorite was unforgivable. Even as they sat stoically at her memorial service this last January, even wiping a tear or two away, I don't think they forgave her.
( A Glass Half Full of Blood and Water )
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.
Today on my drive into work, I was thinking about the way people play favorites toward their children and grandchildren. It's not fair, but it happens. It happened in my house growing up with my father, and my mother's father was notorious for it. The universe has a way of balancing things out, so being a favorite child or grandchild is not without its drawbacks. Favored ones pay for their status by earning the scorn of those who are not favored.
My grandfather's children and grandchildren are sharply divided into two camps: those who remember him fondly despite his many flaws, and those who can't say his name with sneering. Those of on his A list got praise and affection from the old man, because he was kind toward those he loved. But he didn't love all of us equally. In fact, I don't think he loved some of us at all.
To the chagrin of some of my older cousins on our grandfather's B list, the princess of the A list was my cousin Leslie. That this adopted outsider should be the favorite was unforgivable. Even as they sat stoically at her memorial service this last January, even wiping a tear or two away, I don't think they forgave her.
( A Glass Half Full of Blood and Water )
