The least likely person.

I first met Mark in 1978. He was my aunt Katie's new boyfriend. As was the style back then, he had long hair, a beard and was usually stoned. I knew why he was dating Katie, she was pretty and fun to be around, but little did he know she was also a moody, spoiled hypochondriac. I didn't think Mark liked kids at first, but I noticed right off that he would crack jokes at my expense and flip me the bird behind everyone's back. I figured he cared enough to do that at least.


A couple years later he and Katie were married, about the time I started spending the summers up there. I would alternate spending the night at Katie's and my grandmothers house.

Mark worked 2nd shift as a printer so he would come home about 11:00pm. He was good about talking with me even though I was a stupid kid. He would go in the bathroom and get stoned. Then we would play his Atari or read Mad magazine. I figured he needed the drugs to get in touch with his inner child. Katie would have kicked his ass if she knew. I liked Mark so I didn't tell.

Growing up, I was really down on sports. There too many jock pricks at school strutting around waving their cocks around, with their fucking pacifiers, and steroids and bullshit. I wanted no part of that faggy little game.

But Mark loved baseball and he was determined that I was going to like it too. He took me to the batting cages, bought me a glove and taught me to throw and catch.
Me being clumsy and having never picked up a baseball before he was pretty damn patient.

We also started going to Kansas City Royals baseball games, he taught me how to heckle, check out chicks and do the wave. Pretty good stuff for a kid who had never been exposed to any of it.

Problem was, aunt Katie hated Mark. According to her, he was an cold, selfish uncaring bastard. Actually, from my point of view he just didn't respond well to her constant whining and violent mood swings. She kept house while he worked a 12 hour shift and then bitched and screamed when he came home and wanted to sit on the couch.

It was hard to watch.

In a feeble attempt to save their marriage, They had a kid. Mark confided in me that he regretted it. The child turned out to be a demon spawn, partly from genetics and partly due to the fact that my grandmother and Katie tolerated the kids bullshit and constantly contradicted Mark when he would try to reign the kid in.

This kid was bad. I'll just leave it at that. The state suggested a facility but Mark put his foot down and told them no way. Katie started screwing around and divorced Mark after 14 years of marriage.

Their son turned out to be a violent, spoiled, mentally disturbed and manipulative fuckwad. Mark paid his child support but didn't feel like doing much else. I can't say I blame him. Every time he tried to do something about his son's behavior, he was shouted down or his actions would be undone behind his back.

I was grown, had my own life and after a big unrelated fight with my family, I didn't have much contact with them around this time.

When I finally came back around and made peace with everyone, all they could tell me was what a shitty father, bastard and sonovabitch Mark was.

I spoke up and told them all the nice things he had done for me when I was a kid. Katie didn't want to hear this, but I made her listen. Mark was a decent man in a difficult situation.

I went over to see him as an adult and genuinely thanked him for what he did. He never opened up much but I think he appreciated hearing it from me.