Prodigal Son

Growing up poor contributed to my brother's incarceration. My father struggled with alcoholism when he moved the family from the South to the Midwest and my mother had to deal with it as best she could. In the midst of arguments, food insecurity, and the endless cycle of disconnected utilities, my oldest brother lost his way. He had no one to turn to for guidance so the streets and drugs became his mentor. He learned survival skills from the "school of hard knocks." He became the black sheep of the family--the Prodigal Son.