Magazine

April 2013: Man of Many Masks

There was the Wall Street Rodney, the college Rodney, the gay Rodney. Where would it end?

Painting by Amos P.

Alcoholic? What did I know about alcoholism? As far as I knew, alcoholics were men and women living on the streets who drank to relieve the pain of their condition. I had never heard the term used to describe anyone close to me, except maybe my Uncle Jim. He drank every weekend but held a steady job at the local factory for nearly 25 years. And during my summer visits to my grandmother in Georgia, I would also hear about Uncle Bo beating Aunt Ruth during one of his binges. But alcohol was not a part of my everyday life as a child. So how could I possibly imagine that someone with an Ivy... Login to read more
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