Chapter 17

3 September, 2012Chaos Theory, Chapter 17Absurd Humor, Adult Child of Alcoholic, Alcoholism, Beverly Jon, Christian Fiction, Christian Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Mansions Madness and Mayhem, Recovery, Revenge, Self Deception, Single Parenting

There weren’t a lot of photos of me in our house, I guess because I looked a lot like Edward Scissor Hands from the waist down, without the cute pouty expression, at least until I was three. After that I think my parents didn’t want to document my development. Denial would be everything if I was ever arrested.

Chapter 18

3 September, 2012Chaos Theory, Chapter 18Alcoholism, Beverly Jon, Christian Fiction, Christian Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Humor Fiction, Mansions Madness and Mayhem, Revenge, Self Deception

Kids from screwed up families become all kinds of things. We hide ourselves behind silence, heavy make-up, sexual promiscuity, rebellion, performance. Our school, like all schools, was full of girls like this; we are a sorority with different chapters. The Mean Girls chapter was the one no one wanted to mess with; their raccoon eyes, thick with black eye liner, relayed stories of abuse and rage. No one was listening.

Chapter 20

4 September, 2012Chaos Theory, Chapter 20Absurd Humor, Addiction, Alcoholism, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, Christian Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Humor Fiction, Madness, Mansions Madness and Mayhem, Mental Illness, Revenge, Self Deception

The tiny Episcopal mission of my choosing had a congregation of less than a hundred. It was the summer of 1969. No one wore choir robes like in the Baptist church. No one spewed out hell and damnation messages. No one seemed to care that I was an ugly misfit with a nose that swallowed my whole face.

The Vicar sat in the center isle of the tiny chapel and shared stories about the life of Jesus. Shame based at my very core, Baptist preaching had always stirred the hornets’ nest. But in the summer of 1969 I forgot all about religion and fell in love with the Real Jesus. The Vicar’s stories transformed Christ from some historical distant figure to a living, breathing man who struggled and hurt and had been rejected. I could relate to that! Sundays couldn’t come fast enough. The little red-brick light-filled chapel became an ethereal realm where I felt safe and accepted. ...Continue Reading

Chapter 21

4 September, 2012Chaos Theory, Chapter 21Addiction, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Mansions Mayhem Madness, Mental Illness, Self Deception

Having been raised with a code of silence, he was the first person outside of my direct family that I knew would keep my secret safe. As kindred spirits in dysfunction we pushed off from shore in a tiny row boat, hoping to find a new land, out of harm’s way. Two broken people, rowing for our lives; one of us would drown; the other would barely make it out alive.

Chapter 22

8 February, 2013Chapter 22Addiction, Adult Child of Alcoholic, Alcoholism, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, Christian Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Humor Fiction, Mental Illness, Revenge, Self Deception, Single Parenting

Before the full effects of dark vortex I had just stepped through could take hold Charles Manson entered our lives. His cult's brutal murder of Sharon Tate sent a shock wave that was to rip me from the arms of my tiny Episcopal safe house.

Chapter 23

8 February, 2013Chapter 23Addiction, Adult Child of Alcoholic, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, Christian Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Mental Illness, Revenge, Self Deception

I could feel his alcoholic tobacco stained breathe on my face, hot with rage. His hand hovered close to my cheek. Locked in battle, we glared into each other’s eyes. Minutes passed. I braced myself for the blow.

Chapter 24

10 February, 2013Chaos Theory, Chapter 24Adult Child of Alcoholic, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Humor Fiction, Mental Illness, Recovery, Revenge, Self Deception

He drove south toward his office. I distracted myself by counting traffic signals, praying one of them would turn yellow or red so I could jump out. It was green lights all the way.

When he passed his office, I became dazed and confused. Hold it together, I said to myself. If he was taking me to the woods on his lake property for a beating where no one could hear me scream, I was sure I could outrun him.

Just then he turned into the driveway of a two-story red-brick building and pulled into the parking lot. He turned off the engine. “Get out,” he said with a voice of steel, “I’ll show you what real power is.” ...Continue Reading

Chapter 25

2 January, 2014Chaos TheoryAddiction, Adult Child of Alcoholic, Anxiety, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, Christian Fiction, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Lives of the Rich and Famous, Mansions Madness and Mayhem, Marrying a Younger Man, Mental Illness, Real Estate, Revenge, Self Deception, Single Parent

In the slammer, graffitied walls held pearls of wisdom: Don’t trust nobody, Life sucks, basic information I had learned by nursery school.

Decoding decades of teen hieroglyphics carved into the wooden table in the middle of the large holding cell brought with it a disturbing reality. It wasn’t the quality of art that bothered me or the string of obscenities; it was the idea that clearly knifes weren’t so hard to come by in juve. I hadn’t even brought a marker, clearly I was uninitiated.

I heard the large metal door to the cell clang open, and in stepped Godzilla with his handler. The enormous, hairy youth was handcuffed to a police officer whose face I didn’t recognize. He half-pulled, half-pushed his teenage hostage into the cell. Godzilla turned for the officer to uncuff him. Obviously he knew the drill. Neither said a word. I tried to look tough in my hip-hugging bell bottoms and Elton John platform shoes. I shook my long blonde shag hairdo while they weren’t paying attention, hoping for a less manicured, more street-wise persona. I hoisted myself onto the top of the table and sat down, planting my feet squarely on the bench below. Godzilla glared at me from under his shaggy hair; our eyes met. I didn’t flinch, but my heart pounded out a John Bonham drum solo in my chest. ...Continue Reading

Chapter 26

2 January, 2014Chaos TheoryAddiction, Adult Child of Alcoholic, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Beverly Jon, Black Humor, Christian Fiction, codependency, Codependent, Dark Humor, Depression, Dysfunctional Families, Fiction, Guilt, How to Not Create A Mess with Your Life, Mansions, Mansions Madness and Mayhem, Mental Illness, Real Estate, Recovery, Self Deception, Single Parent, Single Parenting

I began plotting new strategies to eliminate the monster in our midst. The more authority he exerted, the more rebellious I became. Without much effort, our battle of wits turned into a full-contact sport, and some days I was winning. Point and counterpoint, check and checkmate. When he went to the country club for his five-martini lunches, I skipped school and charged lunch to his bill at the club, making sure to waltz past the bar in my bathing suit smiling sweetly into his drunken face. When he threatened me with another lock-up, I threatened him with what I knew about his drinking before going into the courtroom to try a case. I knew where every liquor bottle was hidden in his office. I was completely capable of exposing him, of ruining him; he could feel my palpable hatred and I his. ...Continue Reading