The Reeve Family Circus, Part I

First, a little back-story: my Grandma Barbara is coming out the Denver from Montana for the first time she's seen fit to see her family in the better part of 15 years. All four of her sons (including my Dad) have made it into town. This will be the first time they will have all been in the same room since my Grandmother walked out on my Grandpa Phill and her boys as teenagers. She is extremely distant, and has since remarried to a guy named Bill. Basically, long story short, she left her first marriage, bailed on her four kids, along the way my Grandpa died, and since then all parties have maintained a mutual disinterest in one another. God love her, the women is extremely manipulative, unbelievably self-centered, and, from what she says in the letter, has total amnesia about the last 35 years of her life. The extent of the communication we've had with her for the past 10 years or so is the occasional news paper article written about her that she will cut out and send to my Dad.

Anyways, she sends the letter to my dad.

"6/22/08 Sunday

Dear Rich, Liz, Renae, Eric

Our schedule is as follows:

Leave Missola on United flight 5971 10:58 July 3rd
Arrive Denver 12:51pm

Leave Denver July 7th, United flight 1429 at 11:45am
Arrive Missoula 1:48pm

Rich I am going to say the same thing I said to Harold. Do not let Larry manipulate you—if you notice he is always the victim (poor me, etc.)

Bill & I have been married 30 years and you, Harold, Jim have visited us when you could, but Larry has made no attempt to do so at all. He doesn’t give a darn about us.

If you have a relationship with Larry, that is between you two. Bill & I do not wish to have one with him at this time.

Whatever went down between Leah & him is their business—just like the previous wives—none of our business.

I have been through a traumatic situation in a month—my knee & operation on my eye—facing another operation on July 12th and I do not need to have Larry around.

Love you all,
Mom & Bill"

Yeah... No who is picking her up from the airport, no where is she staying, no hey hello how have you and your kids been doing- just cut straight to how she is (poor me!) having such a hard time (yet is still managing to suffer on and make the trip out to see her grandkids), and she absolutely cannot see her oldest son Larry, because god forbid- he left his family & feels like the victim.

It sucks to look mirror, doesn't it?