In search of the past

In pursuit of knowing where my family has come from, I've started a family tree. I've gotten as far as my Great-Grandparents on my mom's and step-father's side. Through a discussion with an uncle recently, I found out that my great-great-great grandfather came to this country from Germany at the age of 4, and my grandma's family came from Prussia. That's my mom's side, on my step-father's side, the name Ferguson started in Scotland. Part of that clan set up roots in Ireland, which is a great excuse for getting trashed on St. Patty's day.

As for my father, I knew nothing about him. I have been under the impression that I was a bastard, and that has given me some pride. I was happy with that. Some people are ashamed by it, but not me!

A recent trip to my mom's changed all that. I asked her about my father, wanting his name and a little background history between the two. She does one better and pulls out papers from back in the day. Turns out she went to a carnival to meet someone and met Kenneth James Barbee, my father, instead. She chalks this up to a "wild year" and ended up moving in with him to his home state of... Alabama.

Then my mom tells me something I never expected. Her and Ken were married for 3 months. During that period, I was conceived. Luckily for me she divorced him and moved back to Wisconsin to live with her sister, and I was born in this great state. Plan and simple, fuck that backwards state.

So I went from prideful bastard to son of divorced parents. Luckily the FSM was listening, because the next news was even more wonderful. When my mom met Ken at the carnival, he was working there. That's right, my father is a carnie!!! I could have done backflips after hearing that. Everything started fitting into place. Now when I act stupidly, I can blame the Alabama genes I have. I've always hated "Sweet Home Alabama", now I can blame my father for that.

I am the son of a carnie (yay) from Alabama (damn it). I searched his name. I think I've located him in Iowa. My next long weekend I'm thinking about driving down there to see if its him or not. If it is, I think I'll hyper-ventilate. If not, I'll come home and try again to find him.