I know it's been mentioned that Brenda Morabito's an alcoholic. She's an AA member. Her sponsor's a lovely woman named Monique. Brenda's been dry now for three years, which is truly a wonderful thing.
What hasn't been mentioned is that she's also a cancer survivor. Ovarian. This was twelve years ago.
Brenda had her first drink when she was eleven years old. It was at a family get-together at an uncle's house in Upper Darby. She found a glass half filled with a mix of Southern Comfort and Coke. She liked it. From then on, she snuck drinks at all family get-togethers, and didn't stop, even when she got caught by her father when she was thirteen, and wound up getting smashed over the head repeatedly with a broomstick until it broke.
It wasn't until after the death of her first real partner, Rosie DiLeo, that she went full tilt boogie into it. She was seventeen, she lived to party, and used her wiles to bribe anyone she possibly could into buying her liquor. Today, the years from age seventeen to twenty-three are a blur; a blur of Bourbon, parental abuse, and what would nowadays be called 'hook-ups' with just about any other young Sister Of Sappho who caught her eye.
It was in 1982, when she was twenty-three, that she finally wound up in her first long-term relationship since the death of Rosie. Mary Carrera worked in the office of a Democratic congressman from Philadelphia. She was bi-polar, which made for a very stormy relationship with Brenda. They were together, on and off, up until 1989, when Brenda finally despaired of having a peaceful, fruitful relationship with the woman. It was seven years of arguments, booze, hurt feelings, booze, cross-purposes, booze, sexual politics, booze, tears, booze, booze, and booze. Mary was just as much of a problem drinker as Brenda was. Love in a bottle.
It was four more years, filled with Bourbon and loneliness, before she met Jillian Reese, daughter of a Houston doctor. She met Brenda while she was attending Wharton. Jillian, an African-American beauty, loved Brenda dearly, but the drinking drove her away after a year or so. More years of loneliness and false starts beckoned, until 1998, when she met Jayna Rothstein, who worked for one of the local pharm giants. It was a one-sided relationship. Jayna used Brenda (who by now was becoming physically sick from alcoholism) until she had no more to give, and very coldly moved on to greener pastures in 2003. Brenda endured one bungled suicide attempt, before going into a detox/rehab situation. After several very sad relapses, Brenda drank her last drink on November 23, 2004. She's been sober ever since. It certainly hasn't been easy. Brenda acknowledged her success to whom she considers her guardian angel, the spirit of Rosalie DiLeo. I myself think it's a plausible stand in for someone who's an avowed athiest.
I have known Brenda Morabito since 1997, when I was driving a taxi cab for another company. We have only become really close friends in the past year and a half. Before then, it was, hey buddy, whazzup? Brenda has become, possibly, my closest friend. She's always there for me, no matter what, as steadfastly loyal as anyone I have ever known. When I call, she answers, and if she can't answer, she gets back to me. For her, I offer same. We can just show up at each other's doorsteps at any time of the day or night. She offers no judgements. She offers love. I'm the sibling she always wished she had. My wife adores Brenda too. Brenda's a source of joy to the both of us.
"You know what I think?" Dawn asks, filling a napkin dispenser on the counter here in the crowded Palmetto Diner.
"What?"
"I think Brenda's met someone."
"You think so, too, huh?"
"Yep. It explains how she can sit here, stare into space, and pour sugar on her eggs."
"She really did that?"
"And when she noticed what she did, she starts giggling."
Hmm.
"Reminds me of a Meg Ryan movie," Dawn says.
Well, yes. I had thought of this. I've been wondering just how to broach this subject with her. I'm beginning to think that the right policy would be to be direct about it, and just come out with it. It's well that Gladys now works on the day shift; she would've bugged her about it so much, saying "I know you got a new love interest!" over and over again, until Brenda reared back and socked her.
"She really needs it, George." Dawn tops off my coffee. "She really needs a break, she needs someone new, who isn't gonna steal from her or make her look foolish, like that last bitch."
"Oh, I know, you don't have to tell me. If it is someone new, it's really different. It's like she got hit by a tsunami. It wasn't like this with the last one."
"You know if she's coming in tonight?"
"I'm not sure. Tell ya what, if she does, I'll bring it up. I know how to do this. If not, then next time." Curiosity's certainly getting the better of me.
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