Why Did Gordan and Mom Split Up?
My earliest memories are from I believe, the ages of 2 to 4 years old, when myself, my Mother, and my Stepdad (discussed in the intro) Gordan lived on the west side of Columbus Ohio, on a street called S Terrace Ave. While I do remember living here, I can’t remember the course of events leading to my Mom’s split with Gordan. As I understand it, Gordan was doing heroin (a habit he picked up from the opium dens in Vietnam). He wouldn’t come home for days at a time, and would be drunk or high at times when he did come home.
Mom, having many friends (with many opinions about what she should do) intentionally hooked her up with a guy named Richard Hunter. Maybe they were trying to help her get revenge on Gordan’s heroin addiction and the resulting behaviors. While Mom and Gordan were still married, and technically still together, Mom became pregnant with Anthony, my half brother.
After Mom became pregnant, we moved in with my Grandma Vada, and Grandpa Jack for a few months, while Mom could save for her own place. She managed to get enough money and we moved to Brown Rd on the west side of Columbus.
The story will pick up on Brown road with the death of my Brother, but for the remainder of this page I’m going to list some random memories from my earliest recollection.
Random Intermittent Memories & Observations From This Period of My Life
I possibly have some memories from the age of 2 years and some months, but I couldn’t say for sure, as my brain wasn’t developed enough to record chronology or time stamp some of my earliest memories. I believe the earliest memories were somewhat traumatic, is probably why my brain kept them. This seems like evolutionary biological programming, meant to help with survival (it could be important to remember traumatic events to avoid repeating them.
My very first memories are often (at least slightly) traumatic which makes sense, because some obvious intelligence (God?) has designed evolution to design our brains to protect us from danger. I remember for example, my Stepdad’s dog “Bogart” biting me in the face (probably because I curiously teased him into reacting, the way you do our cats Muffins and Penny now).
I also remember spinning in a circle (maybe dancing the way you do now) and hitting my head on the corner of my parents’ chair, so that I had to go to the hospital to get stitches.
I remember Gordon spanking my butt for something, getting angry and trying to run away from home. Yes, at 3 years old I was disagreeable enough that I wanted to run away on my tricycle. I think this may have been an early indication of my strong will, which has been a tremendous resource to me for most of my life but has also caused me a lot of problems. It’s worth noting that even at 18 months, you are very similar to me Son. You are strong willed and disagreeable. May God help you harness these traits so that they propel you in life, and do not work to destroy you the way they almost did me.
I also remember climbing out of my bedroom window onto a roof, (maybe some sort of porch overhang) at our S Terrance Ave home. I remember being shocked by sticking metal objects into the electrical outlets in my room (probably not health for a toddler).
I remember dressing up as a clown for Halloween at the age of 3 or 4 (believe the age of 3) and going out trick or treating with Maggie and Randy Reynolds, some family friends.
I have an odd and funny memory of seeing Gordan peeing, and I recall thinking that his penis was massive compared to mine. ?
Of course, I remember Mom a lot. Curiously, I hardly remember having my diaper changed (which had to happen at least a couple of times pre day for a couple of years) and I also barely remember being potty trained. Although, I may have an image of myself from the perspective of sitting on my potty, being prompted to have a bowel movement. It’s obvious that my long-term memories didn’t start to form until at least age 3.
On Terrace, I do also remember at least one argument between Mom and Gordan. I do not have any memory of my Grandma Vada or Grandpa Jack being at the Terrace Ave location.
From here, we will move on to the birth of my half-brother Anthony Shaun Harless, which ultimately caused the split between my Mom and Step-Dad, which was the beginning of me becoming entirely lost in life, in my opinion.