This is a happy, sad and laugh thread.
My brother tweeted me this morning to say that our dad has been in touch with him asking for my contact details. Apparently he wants to talk to me about something. I haven't spoken to my dad since coming out, but I had a long discussion with another of my brothers (who lives near my dad) about a month ago, so I can only presume my brother told him all about that conversation, and about my coming out.
I have very mixed feelings about this. My dad abandoned my elder brother & I when I was 7 years old, and we've had sporadic contact since then. My dad is also in his late 60s, and when someone from that age group tries to get in touch with you after several years, it's not usually good news.
What made me kinda laugh? When I was a kid, my mum would never punish us kids for doing anything wrong because she just couldn't stomach it. Instead, she'd say to us "Just you wait until your father gets home!!!1!" and then he'd punish us when he got back. I used to quake in my boots when I heard those words. Well, when my brother said that my dad wanted to get in touch, my first thought was "Oh, no - I'm in real trouble now!"
EDIT: OK, I'm not laughing now. My dad just emailed me to tell me that his eldest brother, a world-renowned scientist, has died.
![Cry :'(](https://www.susans.org/Smileys/susans/cry.gif)
Dammit, we need
more eccentric, intelligent, curious, talented people like him, not fewer. RIP, Uncle.