Dark Side

I always looked forward to coming to West Virginia.  But this year is different.  I have seen a dark side of West Virginia.

First off, so many of my relatives have died.  All the good ones are dead.  Heck, even the bad ones are dead.  Not too many are left.  All my younger relatives with any sense have moved away.  Those without sense that have stayed are ones I wouldn't associate with anyway.

I didn't get to see any of my first cousins or their children.  It has been very depressing.  But then I think, the two first cousin I have here, don't actually live near Branchland.  They live about two hours drive away.

Crystal Meth has really destroyed the community.  It didn't matter if you locked the front door or not.  Now, I was told not to leave anything on the front porch that I didn't want stolen.  You look at some of the people around here, and they look awful.  Not only due to bad health/ healthcare, but the meth has wrecked their teeth, brains, and bodies. 

My Grandmother is not as I remember at all.  This is the first year she really seems old to me.  She has become much more judgemental, angry, and hardheaded.  Her memory is going, and she can't seem to understand much of what I say to her.  She is also much more frail.  The first day I arrived she had the heat cranked and the house was 88 degrees inside.  No I am not making that up.

It seems all the people up here are getting older and meaner.  Family feuds that were long put to rest are now resurfacing.  The rumor mill up here is just awful.  It's either keep a secret to yourself, or just figure if you say something, you better understand the whole town will know. 

I don't like what's happened up here, and I don't think I want to come back.