Not So Sweet Home Alabama

"Alabama, May(ish) 2023"

I am going to try to remember the trip to watch my 2nd cousin graduate high school as a happy memory and one that had been long overdue. I was fortunate enough to spend time seeing my cousin's home, his wife, kiddos, their land, and reconnecting with family.

My sister and mom had been telling me my dad's ability to recall details wasn't the same. I figured it was just him pretending not to know anything so someone else would take care of everything. I wish my jaded train of thought was right...

When I get to the airport, I'm waiting on my mom to drop off my dad and sister. We go inside and head to security. I remember telling my dad about five times to get his ID out. He grabbed his phone (twice), his boarding pass, his glasses, and headphones before finally getting it right. As we go through security, he takes his belt off while cracking jokes to the TSA man working. He was joking around about TSA getting a "free show" if his pants fell down. He was cracking everyone up and smiling the entire time. That's my dad.

Three minutes after we get through security, he had misplaced his boarding pass. I was trying very hard to be patient and hide my frustration, but it was hard. Before we got on the plane, he asked me about fifteen times where his seat was, where mine was, and where my sisters was. I walked up to the person working for AA, informed her of him losing his boarding pass, and that he was having a hard time remembering details. Their staff was incredibly kind. They asked if my sister wanted to upgrade to first to sit by him (for free) to help him feel more comfortable. We land, grab our rental car, and head to a small town near my cousin's house. (We went to Alabama to watch my second cousin graduate high school.)

Lexie's (my second cousin) graduation party was that day so after getting ready, we headed to her celebration. Beautiful venue, beautiful scenery, and beautiful decorations even though they were Alabama themed haha. When we arrive, my dad is greeted by my cousin Brian, my uncle Mike (his brother), and my aunt Cindy (his brother's wife and they've been married over 30 years). I say all of that so you can understand that these are not people he's meeting for the first time, they are people he's known 30+ years or, his entire life. These are also people my sister and I have known our entire lives.

After an hour or so of being there, my dad walks up to Uncle Mike (his brother) and he asks Mike if he wanted to meet my sister and me. Mike gently explained to my dad that he knew us already and did not need to be introduced to us.  

Mike came over to tell me what had just taken place.

Tears started to flood my eyes. A lump formed in my throat. I couldn't breathe. I was flooded with grief, horror, and heartbreak.

"What?"

"Wait, he said what?"

"He asked you that?"

"He had to be kidding..."

All of these questions pouring into my brain.

You can try to imagine the shock and pain I was feeling in that moment but nothing I type here will do it justice, so I'll just say this:

It hit me like a damn freight train. There is something seriously wrong here... with my dad.