A Belated Eulogy for Mother’s Day

I remember recieving this letter from my mother. As you see, it is postmarked May 30, 1991. It is addressed to me, at my childhood home. The return address is the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation: Wichita Falls State Hospital, Box 300, Wichita Falls, Texas 76307–0300. She had been involuntarily committed after a public episode in our residential neighborhood — the final straw. I was so mad at her when I recieved this letter. By the time this letter arrived, I had already survived so many intoxicated instances. I had grown up making her cocktails before school. I was a passenger in the car with her while she drove intoxicated and had a few accidents. I had witnessed her forging a prescription for “Darvocet” on a prescription pad she stole. I had gone to the liquor store with her and been given candy for my silence. Vodka bottles were stashed all over the house, pill bottles of all sizes were stashed in various places — she always hunting and gathering pills. A blue one from Aunt D, a yellow one from Barbie, an orange one from the haul in Mexico. <a href="https://medium.com/@jodeeneil/a-belated-eulogy-for-mothers-day-8863fe8b5933">Click Here</a>