Clovis

Profile

Username:
clovis
Name:
Clovis
Location:
Noosa,
Birthday:
03/02
Status:
Other

Stats

Post Reads:
17,798
Posts:
43
Last Online:
> 30 days ago
View All »

My Friends

online now

Subscribe

Gone

Life & Events > Closets
 

Closets

My family was completely respectable, but even in the most decent of families there are closets.
My mother agreed with the opinions, values and prejudices of whoever she was with, so everyone thought she was intelligent and friendly... but she made few friends. In her closet lived an angry, dissatisfied, jealous woman who hated the world, and happily butchered, skinned and filleted chickens, rabbits, sheep and fish.
My father took no obvious interest in his family, kept his body lean and perfectly muscled, charmed with his smile, was liked by everyone, never gossiped, worked harder than anyone and owed nothing. In his closet lived a shy, tortured soul who thought he was stupid and no good for anything – a man who couldn’t bring himself to stick up for his family, squash a spider, or butcher a hen or rabbit.
My favourite uncle lived a virtuous, slightly dull, responsible, socially withdrawn Methodist life with a wife and two adopted children. In his closet lived an extravagant gay man who wanted to dress outrageously, take centre stage and dare to be different. He ended up in his closet drinking himself to death on home brew.
My favourite aunt entertained other bankers’ wives to afternoon tea, dressed beautifully, took part in amateur dramatics, obeyed her irascible husband, and took care of her two ungrateful children. She had an excellent, concert quality soprano voice, was a superb actress, beautiful and gracious. I was in love with her and could listen for hours when she sang, accompanying herself at the piano. Coloratura is simply a controlled scream, she once explained with a silvery laugh. Her husband and children weren’t interested. In the closet dwelt a Prima Donna Coloratura who, unwilling to grow old, allowed cancerous thoughts to eat away at her vital organs. She remains the only person I've known who died, that I have ever grieved for.
Until the age of twenty I was a self-confident, popular youth who loved to dance, act, run, swim, and was usually the centre of attention. In the closet was a young man who loathed having to have a girlfriend who expected him to kiss and pet and want sex. He had no idea why he was so troubled that he seriously wanted to die and studied suicide methods [the photo was only half a joke]; all he knew was there was something desperately wrong in his life. So as soon as he was qualified he set off alone to Europe in search of the most precious thing he could think of – anonymity.

posted on July 14, 2008 3:46 AM ()

Comments:

Great post.
comment by mellowdee on July 17, 2008 4:35 PM ()
Closets or dark sides--we all have them. To expose them to others takes courage. Stand tall.
comment by solitaire on July 15, 2008 2:40 PM ()
Wow...food for thought, I should reflect on 'self' and consider what I have hiding in my own closet.
comment by deborah on July 14, 2008 5:25 PM ()
It is amazing how all of our familys have their little quirks.
AJ
comment by lunarhunk on July 14, 2008 2:33 PM ()
Is 'anonymity' Hans's last or middle name?????
comment by greatmartin on July 14, 2008 8:27 AM ()

Comment on this article   


43 articles found   [ Previous Article ]  [ Next Article ]  [ First ]  [ Last ]