I chose this essay because I read about what the author had to say in the brief explanation and found it interesting. He tells about how his father has the disease alcoholism and tries to hide it in every way. It really bothers Sanders that his dad drinks and worse of all he tries to hide it. His father drinks most of the time and does nothing but argue with his wife, which causes trouble at home. The connection I have with this essay is almost the same as Sanders has with his father. I guess that’s the reason why I picked this essay, and not because I drink. When I was growing up in the town of Milton I lived with my mother, father, and sister. Things weren't to bad in the beginning, but after that it all ended up going down hill. My dad had a bad temper as it was and alcohol just didn’t help the manner any. I would come home to listening to my parents argue and yell at each other. It’s just not something you look forward to coming home to, and always wondering if there’s something you did wrong cause you’re going to get ripped for it. That’s probably the main reason my parents ended up getting a divorce. Which is another hard thing to deal with as a kid and teenager growing up. My dad started getting like that when he got laid off from his job. I am not trying to put my dad down or anything, but that’s the personal connection I had with this essay. My dad is now living in Beckley, has changed entirely, and we get along great now. It seems now days that he is more of a best friend than a dad. Did that have an effect on me? Yes it did, cause from then on I have been a person that holds stuff in and doesn't get it off my chest. I have started to get better, but for quit some time I have always held stuff in. It also made me afraid of my father for quit some time. If I would ever do anything wrong it would cause me to flinch cause I was afraid he would get pissed and do something. Like I said though he is a changed person and its all good now. My mother to this day doesn't have a civil conversation with him and I think it’s because of the past. My dad knows to this day that he did wrong and apologizes all the time for it. He blames it on his own father, because he says that his father was strict on him. I think that drinking is a decision you make on your own and not by your families history. You are the one who decides to take that first drink. Something’s I can forgive my father for, but others I can’t. Unlike most of my family though I have given my dad a second chance.