Tell me, what did you expect? Have you got no self respect? Reputation to protect? Soon, you'll be a nervous wreck.

A few days ago, my parents told me about their shock and devastation when they found out that my brother and his wife are alcoholics.
The signs have always been there and I always thought my folks were more switched on than they obviously are. My dad seems to be taking it the hardest. Hmmmm, hardest may be the wrong choice of word, but his words of disappointment hammered that one home. His brow was down, his lips turned and his voice kept breaking as he sat there, looked me in the eyes and told me that he'd always seen me as the son with issues and problems. But now....now, despite the fact that my brother and his wife have been 'happily' married for ages, have a lovely house that's almost paid for, have secure, decent paid jobs, live very comfortably, have two or three holidays away every year, have a lovely daughter, drive nice cars, buy the things they want....Despite all those things, that made me out to the black sheep of the family, because I have nothing close to those things, this 'revelation' that they are a pair of alcoholics seems to have really knocked the wind out of him.

My parents have had to put up with a lot of shit over the years. Mostly from me. I've always felt bad about that. I think the fact that my brother's life always shone head and shoulders above mine, might have helped give my folks some additional strength when they needed it. Things were shit, but it's not so bad because at least my brother's life had turned out great. He's the reliable, sensible, grounded, formulaic, dependable and 'normal' one.

Things have changed.