Karen Kilgariff

Or Oliver Hardy?

Or Oliver Hardy?

I'm keeping it. Now that I understand what nostalgia looks like, I can see it in memories of my father's face as he recounted the details of his juvenescence. Juvenile adolescence, like that. Yes, I guess so. There was always a moment dad would recall his half-sister, Dorothy, who had left home as a teenager. I suppose she could not get along with my grandmother, who may have had a heavy hand.

I'm keeping it. Now that I understand what nostalgia looks like, I can see it in memories of my father's face as he recounted the details of his juvenescence. Juvenile adolescence, like that. Yes, I guess so. There was always a moment dad would recall his half-sister, Dorothy, who had left home as a teenager. I suppose she could not get along with my grandmother, who may have had a heavy hand.

Dad prayed to find her someday. She was the only one who might still remain. Having eventually moved away from New York, my family ended up in South Carolina. I was about 11 years old when, after an AA meeting, my father spoke with a visiting Texan about his long-lost sister, Dorothy. The man's face twisted into amazement.

Dad prayed to find her someday. She was the only one who might still remain. Having eventually moved away from New York, my family ended up in South Carolina. I was about 11 years old when, after an AA meeting, my father spoke with a visiting Texan about his long-lost sister, Dorothy. The man's face twisted into amazement.

He himself had met a woman years before who had gone on in the same fashion about her long lost brother. The strange Texan had met her on a separate trip to New York years before becoming sober and apparently shared this very intimate conversation with her and stayed in Christmas card contact. Her name, Dottie, shorthand for Dorothy.

He himself had met a woman years before who had gone on in the same fashion about her long lost brother. The strange Texan had met her on a separate trip to New York years before becoming sober and apparently shared this very intimate conversation with her and stayed in Christmas card contact. Her name, Dottie, shorthand for Dorothy.

That's crazy. I know. It happened quickly, and the two were soon hollering on the phone. A few weeks later, dad was on a flight to meet her. He came back with new photos of my grandfather and even of himself, many he had never seen before, none of which I had seen. Until then, dad had only one remaining photo of his father.

That's crazy. I know. It happened quickly, and the two were soon hollering on the phone. A few weeks later, dad was on a flight to meet her. He came back with new photos of my grandfather and even of himself, many he had never seen before, none of which I had seen. Until then, dad had only one remaining photo of his father.

They all only exist in photos now, and I recount the past by these limited images I have. But this little serendipitous moment remains the story that connects them to me in ways that is still so inexplicable. I'm Irish blooded and long winded. So I'm afraid of sending too long of an email. There you go.

They all only exist in photos now, and I recount the past by these limited images I have. But this little serendipitous moment remains the story that connects them to me in ways that is still so inexplicable. I'm Irish blooded and long winded. So I'm afraid of sending too long of an email. There you go.

But some other someday I'll tell you about my mother who, after spending 14 years as a nun, fell in love with my same magical trash dad who was under indictment at the time. Yes. What? Yes. This is it. It says S-S-G-G-M and it's signed boop with an exclamation mark and a fucking emoji smiley face. Boop. That's the person's name?

But some other someday I'll tell you about my mother who, after spending 14 years as a nun, fell in love with my same magical trash dad who was under indictment at the time. Yes. What? Yes. This is it. It says S-S-G-G-M and it's signed boop with an exclamation mark and a fucking emoji smiley face. Boop. That's the person's name?

Boop.

Boop.

Boop.

Boop.

Yeah.

Yeah.