In a way I was a regular girl, just living with my parents in a nice Chicago suburb with my two sisters and my dog, Richard. Except, I never usually invited kids into my house to play, nor did I talk about my home life to them. I guess I knew it was pretty bad at times. Like when Dad and Mom drank for six-weeks round-the-clock and acted like two-year-olds. They were never mean or anything like that. Just falling down a lot. Talking like nitwits. But,...