Another Incident

We suddenly had our share of panic yesterday.

My alcoholic brother was tasked by his wife to make sure her sister would arrive Bacolod safely after 2 weeks of vacation in our hometown, Batuan in Bohol. I did not know how did it happened but when my bro was in Dumaguete (he was alone I supposed) he used up all his resources in drinking. The PPA in Dumaguete called up Batuan to inform them that indeed, Jonathan, my bro, is dead drunk at Dumaguete pier with no sanity left in him and worst, no single money for the boat fare.

My family informed me and asked for assistance. Honestly, I have friends in Dumaguete but they are of the "upper class." Would I ask the Provincial Director of DTI-Bohol who is from there to fetch my bro? Would I ask the people from the Negros Oriental Investment Promotion Center the same? How would I tell them? After a brief discussion that came out a psycho war, I told them I would not help. This is out of proportion!

You may say I'm heartless, unfeeling for my brother. For so many times I told my family to resist the act of helping him (like covering up for him, as an example) because he has been on and off and like that for more than five years! In fact, he has been drinking (and doing drugs) since his child was still in the womb. Now his only child is nine years old. We helped him in the first two years because of pity. Blood is thicker than water. But sadly our act of pity would bring us to disasters. My mother, as mothers would be, always tell us to understand him and PRAY! I don't know how many novenarias have been laid open and repeatedly recited for him to no avail.

I already discussed with the family about rehab, but he backed out when the DSWD came to our home. It was a disaster.

He is now 35 or 36 and still is fed by wife who works as cashier-runner in a ricemill. I don't know what type of love his wife has for him. That wife my brother had made a punching bag out of her, is the wife that panicked and fetched him in Dumaguete this morning.

(A relevant blog about my bro I wrote last March titled The Prodigal Bro can be read here.)

Damn stories of our lives!