[msng71384]

I desperately need help. My adopted son and I found each other on this site back in September 2007 but havent met each other in person yet. (he's not ready ) We write emails to each other a few times a month. In his last email, he asked me about his birth father - which to this point I haven't even talked about. I was 16 when I gave birth to him, and his birth father left me when we found out I was pregnant. However, 4 years later, we found each other again and fell back in love and got married. (birth father had two children already at that point and I had another son) We lived together only a year and a half before he started cheating on me and I found out he was doing drugs. I left him but we saw each other on and off for the next few years (living separate) but I just couldn't bring myself to divorce him as I truly did love him. But, he was on drugs bad and would go on binges and come back and cry his eyes out that he would change, etc. I finally divorced him in 1996. I heard that right after our divorce, he married a 20 year old stripper. He ended up in prison for a few years and I hear he's out. (and had 2 more children) How do I tell my adopted son that his father is a druggie and loser? I honestly don't want him to find his birth father as I don't believe it would be a good thing. He (the birth father) and his wife and family would (if they want anything to do with him) bash me -- I know for a fact they would. They are not good people and I dont want that for my son. I heard my ex has 'cleaned up' but I don't believe it.
What do I tell my adopted son? I dont want to hurt him but he wants to know about his birth father.