The Crippling Name
My father’s father was the first to face the crippling name. Though I do not know the ins and outs, I see what the name has done to him. The crippling name consumed my grandfather and led him astray from the successes of his siblings. The name took my grandfather’s hope and dreams and put him in a cell. My grandfather, urgent to leave, made a deal with the crippling name. In exchange for his freedom, he must leave his hopes and dreams behind. My grandfather hesitantly agreed, and set off to live a hopeless, dreamless life. In order to cope with the deal he made with the crippling name, my grandfather took solace in the numbing effects of alcohol and a partner with whom he could share the pain.
My grandfather, unable to face the burdens of the crippling name alone, decided to share the name with my father. Father did his best to fight the crippling name. With the aid of my grandmother, it seemed to be succeeding. Though the crippling name was relentless and would try to beat its effects into father and grandmother. Father continued forward. The crippling name could not stand to see father succeed and amped up its pressure. After many years of emotional and physical abuse, father had enough and not long after found himself with a bottle in his hand. My grandmother could not stand and see father in the same situation as my grandfather so she tended to him and made sure he received all the aid he needed. Though my father received a lot of help from my grandmother, the name was far too strong and turned father like my grandfather.
Father like his father could not deal with the burden of the crippling name on their own and decided it was time to pass that burden onto me. The crippling name wanted me to follow the path it set for my father and my grandfather. Like my predecessors, I fought against the wishes of the crippling name. It tried its best to get me to conform, it beat me and told me I would not be anything more than my father and my grandfather. Eventually I left the home in which the crippling name resided. The crippling name has scarred me but has not stopped me from advancing. I look at those scars Ricardo has left on me with such resentment. I pity my father and my grandfather for letting Ricardo lead them to alcoholism. I feel sadness for my mother and grandmother, as they also endured the wrath of Ricardo. The crippling name ends with me, Ricardo has taught me a lot of lessons of what I should not do. I strive to be the best Ricardo-one that my mother, wife, and kids will be proud of.