My Dysfunctional Secret Family

By Ruth Curry

No family walking the face of this earth has ever been perfect, and I can tell you that my family definitely was not perfect. We had our fair share of heartbreak, drama, illnesses, and tragedy. At times, we grew distant with each other. One would say as you get older you begin to see things clearer. I guess this has been the case for me in knowing that I came from a dysfunctional family—a family with many disturbing secrets. As a child, I saw a lot and knew much more than I should have. Although I would take off running from some unpleasant events in my life, as I grew older, I came to learn and understand why I thought and acted the way I did and why it was important to change my behavior and thought process if I wanted to be happy. I hope my family story will help someone. If you are going down the same path, you can change your destiny. Remember, you make the choices. There are only two choices. They are Good or Bad. My family is still making bad choices today. Some never learn their lessons. Don’t be one of them. It’s time to change for the sake of your children.

Always remember you children will grow up and remember the wrongs, or rights you have done to them and in your life.

Stop this bad history and turn it too good. God bless.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Curry
• Release date: Jan 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215416136

Book preview

MY DYSFUNCTIONAL SECRET FAMILY

RUTH CURRY

My Dysfunctional Secret Family

Copyright © 2023 by Ruth Curry

Edited by Sheri Guy

Smashwords Edition

Cover designed by

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical, methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

The materials contained herein represent the opinion of the authors and should be construed as that. This book is intended for educational and information purposes only.

The following names have been changed to protect the people in this book.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I acknowledge my young daughter. I also acknowledge Mrs. Antoinette Watkins A. K. A. Author Johanna Sparrow for assisting me and everything she did to make this book come true. Without her, this book would never have been published. Thank you, girl!

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to all my aunts and uncles that have gone on. Also, to all the people mentioned in this book. They know who they are.

Thanks to Gloria, my sister, remembering all the details. She is like an elephant! She doesn’t forget anything. She even reminded me of things I had long forgotten.

Thanks to my niece for being honest and telling just how my brother was as a man.

Thanks for my children for making my husband’s and my life interesting and a bit crazy at times.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments….…………………………...5

Dedication ………………………………….…. 7

About the Author………………………………11

My Beginning …………….……………….…...13

Chapter One Eddy …….……………………....30

Chapter Two Bobbie.…...…………………. ....33

Chapter Three Rita…. …..…… ………………38

Chapter Four Back to Lenny ………. …...… .44

Chapter Five the Second Half of My Life ....….53

Chapter Six Tony My First Baby ………...……71

Chapter Seven Tia My Second Baby……. …...75

Chapter Eight Danny My Third Baby………....80

Chapter Nine Yandi My Fourth Baby…………90

Chapter Ten Brian My Fifth Baby.……………96

Chapter Eleven My Nephew Brody ..………….99

Where I Am Today ………………….………...102

My Advice to Young People ………………….103

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruth Curry. I was always a mild nature and shy kid. I loved my grandmother unconditional. She was the best thing in my life. You would never have known she was a step grandmother. I am thankful for my first beginning. She taught me so much in my first six years. Things I still live by today.

As I grew older, different one’s would try to tell me things about her. That wasn’t true. I would listen and laugh on the inside. Because I knew her better than anyone, none of the things they said was true. They probably listen to my mother and some of her sisters. Everyone knew they didn’t like mama. There was another lady they wanted Papa to marry. Also, they couldn’t control Mama like they did this other lady.

Later living with my mother. I grew to love all my siblings. And I tried to protect them all until one day my mother told me from that day or, not to hit them. I would buy things for them, when my grandmother would give me money. I also paid my mother phone bill when she wasn’t able to pay. I lived in horror for about seven years. I survived only by the grace of God, and several people God put in my life to help me. We had a family of three that treated me like their family. I was 16 ½ this was a peaceful time in my life. We lived over the Industrial Canal. My grandmother took sick and was in the hospital for several weeks. My neighbor let me stay with her, her brother and husband until mama came home from the hospital. The other person, I really want to acknowledge is a friend of my husband family. I called him my (Big Head)., he was like a big brother. He saw all I was going through, and he really rescued me. He made a big impact in my life and my children. I would sit in the corner and cry all day so much so, I could hardy breath and my eyes was so swollen I could hardly see. Big Head, would come and get me, take me to lunch 2 to 3 times a week. He always told me to kiss myself and love on me. I thank him so much for giving me my life back.

There was a few others, you know who you are and my thanks go out to you too, with love, love and more love.

MY BEGINNING

My family—I came to know—wasn’t pretty by no means. You talk about Bay-Bay kids? Well, Bay-Bay kids didn’t have nothing on Gang Busters. Gang Busters was what they called my sisters. Let me go back and start from the beginning.

My life began when I lived with Momma and Poppa (my step-grandmother and my biological grandfather). I was told that they had me at age 19 days old. Before that, my Aunt Ruth had me. But she couldn’t take care of me because she worked on promise. For you that don’t know, working on promise meant that she worked for white folks and lived with them all week long. So, my aunt asked Momma and Poppa to keep me. Both fell in love with me! So, that’s my beginning. I woke up one morning and realized that I was alive. Life was good. We didn’t have much, but Poppa worked on the WPA. I remember when we used to get stamps and tokens to buy food and clothes. The war had just ended, and everything was rationed. Then, I finally met my biological mother. She came by one day, but I didn’t want to have anything to do with her. For some reason or another, I didn’t like her. Later, I would learn why! Life went on as Poppa would buy his Mint Gin and lock it in his chifforobe (a closet-like wardrobe). Every now and then, Momma would take a sip and give me a little taste. That stuff was good and sweet.

As life went