I can smell it on you,” she said, and with the palm of her hand, she signaled me not to argue but to listen. “If you medicate yourself without guidance, you will end up like your father.” She went onto to tell me that my father drinking made the tone on his sax harsh. His tone prevented him from playing for more than a local band. The lack of musical success angered him, and he took his wrath out on my mother and me. She told me that war causes men to beat their wives and children because it sanctifies killing, and killing in war is just murder by another name. The question is what you do when the war brings the hate out in you. You can’t burry it when you come back, so you learn to hate your countrymen because they are black or Jewish or a communist. Politicians and preachers are good at directing your hate toward your neighbors. “I don’t hate anyone,” I said. “Not now, but wait until your nightmares influence your feelings,” she told me. “How did you know about them?” I blurted. “I know many things,” she said, “We’ll talk later after the two drinkers fall asleep, but now its time for coffee and
I can smell it on you,” she said, and with the palm of her hand, she signaled me not to argue but to listen. “If you medicate yourself without guidance, you will end up like your father.” She went onto to tell me that my father drinking made the tone on his sax harsh. His tone prevented him from playing for more than a local band. The lack of musical success angered him, and he took his wrath out on my mother and me. She told me that war causes men to beat their wives and children because it sanctifies killing, and killing in war is just murder by another name. The question is what you do when the war brings the hate out in you. You can’t burry it when you come back, so you learn to hate your countrymen because they are black or Jewish or a communist. Politicians and preachers are good at directing your hate toward your neighbors. “I don’t hate anyone,” I said. “Not now, but wait until your nightmares influence your feelings,” she told me. “How did you know about them?” I blurted. “I know many things,” she said, “We’ll talk later after the two drinkers fall asleep, but now its time for coffee and