The Raising of a Rebel: 12 Turning Points from a Child of Alcoholics

The hole underneath the old brick house was still there, over fifty years later. A small Volkswagen could almost fit inside. He choked back the tears as he remembered the feel of that tiny metal shovel in his hand. He had scooped thousands of shovelfuls of dirt into his Radio Flyer wagon and hauled each load out by dragging it up wooden planks. If he could just make the hole big enough to hold a still, he might be able to sell enough liquor to hang onto the house until his Daddy got out of prison. He was just fourteen years old. As the hole got larger, he realized the enormity of his circumstances. Even if he could make the hole big enough, who would make the liquor? Who would help him sell it? Who could he trust? After weeks of digging in dark and despair, he laid down the small shovel and walked out. This moment would shape him, foretelling a series of turning points, balancing reverence and rebellion. The journey of the rebel had just begun.