Part of my family

We all have a family, some natural, and some acquired over time. My Extensive family has more—acquired members than natural ones.   This is a story about one of these and how the current malaise is pressuring them. (and how I'm not too fond of it) 

This story begins with the loss of my mother suddenly due to a heart attack.  I was utterly dependent on my parents for counsel.  All this was good when I was 12, but I was now 25 and had no clue how to do anything on my own. I was living in Orange County, California, and recently separated from my 1st wife.

I was working in a factory that produced dumb terminals for mainframe computers. I, in my current state of loss, took time to think.  My Father Eugene O Crawford 1908-1975 spoke to me from the depts of my memories. (he still does) "Son, if you do not have a job or know what to do, The US Military is a place you can find your way."  So, I went to a recruiter and initially wanted to join the Marines. It was October/November 1980, and I thought, "if you do this, you will be running jumping shooting and, in the mix, until you are 46 years old. Nope, that wasn't happening. I was not going into the navy (water) or the Army.

So, it was to the AF recruiter.  With that complete, I returned to work. A couple of days later, I was called into the office; I was laid off.  My enlistment was not to begin until April 1981., as this was October/November. I was directly looking homelessness in the face. I had to move out of my apartment that I shared with a couple of Jamaican brothers (literally. Jamaican brothers), and I was out on the street. Just then, I was talking to a friend. He offered me a room which was reasonable until my enlistment date came up between my severance pay and the temp jobs, I took over that time I was set.  He had to talk to his folks first, but he said it would be cool. Well, it was cool with them. I moved into the room and met the family. The Dad was Aerospace Engineer and the Mom, a nurse, my family grew by four more souls. They are members of my family in the status of Brothers from other mothers and sisters from other misters.  I attended church with them, as I have never been to a Presbyterian church before not bad at all just different. During the family discussions that I was invited to participate. The advice and warnings that I received from the Dad came back to me numerous times in my 20 years of military service. Every last one of them turned out to be true.  This Phrase that was impressed upon me saved my bacon more than once in those 20 years.  "Sir, I have no legitimate excuse for my actions and am ready to accept the responsibility for those actions."    When I said that, it was the last shot, the buzzer-beater that would keep being from being reprimanded or arrested. It could turn a reprimand to a counseling session.   This was to be used a one time (per assignment), it was that important.  I was not an angel, but I knew how to talk to my superiors in a language that they preferred.  I learned this from Dad from the Mom. I learned patience and compassion; I should say I was exposed to patience and compassion as it would take a long time (over 40 years) to become my default position. It was their way, as I was not the only person that they helped like that over the decades. I consider myself fortunate to have met them and to have them in my life.  I wrote this essay to let them and the entire world that this particular black life mattered to them.  Knowing that this world is going down the tubes and there is a rising pressure to apologize for something you have never participated in do not yield to it one inch.  This is the 2020 remix of the Spanish inquisition that started in 1492. and ended in 1834, according to the wiki. There are some interesting parallels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition