Peyton Place

Having read Augusten Burroughs "Running with Scissors" recently, I was surprised to find an article about the real "Finch" family in Vanity Fair. I really liked the book and having grown up in a somewhat troubled family situation, (although nothing like his)I could relate to the feeling of " Why can't these adults get their shit together?"
The real family are the Turcotte family. They're very angry about their portrayal which included sexual and other odd behaviors that supposedly occurred in their home. While I can see the possibility that Burroughs may have exaggerated for the sake of good storytelling,however, therein may lay a kernel of truth.
During my childhood I knew some pretty dysfunctional families. There was one family that routinely had sex with one another. Brothers with sisters, Dads with daughters. Hey everybody in the pool ( Gene pool apparently) There was a family down the street where the oldest child ( 14) took care of his other 3 siblings including shopping, laundry, housework and homework, because his parents were such drunks,they couldn't. I remember threatening anyone that teased this kid because he had confided in me his home situation. There were Bloomfield Hills families that to all outward appearances, were upper middle class suburbanites, but the Mom was hopelessly addicted to prescription medication and in a perpetual stupor.
I'm sure if you asked these folks today, many of them would deny the family history. They instead prefer to dwell in the land of make believe.There is a protective nature that allows some to remain in the fantasy because the truth is too hard to deal with. They want to be normal.
I have always been one to call a spade, a spade. I don't sugar coat, and often aggravate others for this very reason. Ahhhhhh..... but there is my family dysfunction. I told the truth when others pretended not to see it. The old
"what elephant?" syndrome.
I do believe Burroughs took license with his characters, but I also believe that they were at least 75% as crazy as they were portrayed.