Saturday, December 03, 2005
White Woman
My father on leave, was a triumphant warrior returning home from post War II. There in the barrio was a feast in his honor. Among his friends and relatives, his brother rifled through his personal items and pulled a picture of his Romanian girfriend. Right now, I'm angry when I think of my uncle. When I was little, he was the one who stole the wood my father was saving to build his home. Call it jelousy, sibling rivalry or whatever it was, he was the man who betrayed my fathers relationship with this European woman. He loved her, he told me so. When my uncle presented the picture to my grandfather, I know he was not looking out for my fathers best interest. I suspect it was his own need to be respected by my grandfather with much the same reasons Joe Kennedy took on a fatal mission to surpass Jack Kennedy's exploits in the Pacific. My grandfather was a simple man, illiterate and a man of the land and narrow thought. He also wield great power as he struck the relationship down. He told my father he would not be a part of this family if he married this woman because she was white. A brave soldier struck down by the force of his father's will.
My oldest aunts husband (he forged the birth certificate) was charged with finding a husband for him. He arranged marriages on the side and knew of a young woman in town. She was to become my mother. When I look back at this arranged marriage, for the most part it was a marriage to survive. She was the boundary to his seemingly reckless adventuring. She was full of fear and he was fearless.
My oldest aunts husband (he forged the birth certificate) was charged with finding a husband for him. He arranged marriages on the side and knew of a young woman in town. She was to become my mother. When I look back at this arranged marriage, for the most part it was a marriage to survive. She was the boundary to his seemingly reckless adventuring. She was full of fear and he was fearless.
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I find it very sad that the circumstances back then excused the influence of the parents. I find it very weird that he had a problem with the white woman. But there has been much racism against black people, maybe thats why back then black people developed the same attitude as a self defence. I have to reread your posting with the dictionary somethings I didnt understand, but I do feel the nostalgic atmosphere coming through it.
Virus
Thank you for visiting this post. They were turbulent times in the thirties and forties. I am confused too about my grandfather's reaction. One would think during those times that a white woman would bring status. Knowing that side of my family, I suspect there was a significant undermining of this Romanian woman. My uncle was a very jealous man.
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Thank you for visiting this post. They were turbulent times in the thirties and forties. I am confused too about my grandfather's reaction. One would think during those times that a white woman would bring status. Knowing that side of my family, I suspect there was a significant undermining of this Romanian woman. My uncle was a very jealous man.
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