Chase Shustack

What?

He organized a lottery, right?

What's wrong with that?

My father nodded solemnly.

He's a pretty big guy.

Used to play running back in high school.

But sitting there, he seemed like the smallest man in the world.

You have to understand, Al, that Uncle Joey was... It was a different time.

We had to do it.

It wasn't that we wanted to.

Dad, I don't understand.

What are you talking about?

He swallowed hard, like he was swallowing something bitter in the back of his throat.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself in the chair.

There's... Listen, you know I would never lie to you.

Your uncle only did what he had to do because there was no other way.

So no matter what I say, you have to remember Uncle Joy was a good man in a bad situation.

My father leaned back in his chair and he seemed to consider something on the ceiling or on the floor or on the wall, anywhere that wasn't looking directly at me.

Back in the 80s, 1984, I should say,

There was a big, ah, we'll call it an event, all over the country, not just here.