in the accident of consanguinity that innately qualifies a relative to be a critic. I think it's always a mistake to show them your writing, though I understand the need.

My father thinks "poetry's only for men with she-mickies on 'em". "What's all this bullshit about feelings about?" he demanded to know. "Fucking posers the whole poxy pack of ye." He wanted to flail me with an ashplant when I declared my Major.

I tried 3 times to edit it and for some strange reason each time it eliminated the same paragraph...?  Sorry if it doesn't make sense.

here is what it should say:

"she- mickies"???

If there is one distinctly Irish trait in my mother (and grandmother, RIP), its the "don't let on to the neighbors" one.  One of my earliest memories is of when my mother was having a baby and so the rest of us were staying overnight at my grandmother's little rowhouse in Philly, and something was wrong with her gas heater - the whole house smelled of gas.  Terrified it was about to blow up, my sister and I climbed out the 2nd story window and went next door and banged on the windows, s"...how dare we embarrass her like that, etc.