two hundred of my relatives who showed up for the event. They had come from Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, and the Detroit Metropolitan area.
Everyone was wearing green monogrammed t-shirts with a tree etched on the front and the words Alexander & Olson’s 20th Family Reunion. Me and Leesha and the twins arrived on the scene. We were wearing our shirts too and blue jean Capri pants with matching green flip-flops. The girls sprinted off to go play with a few cousins that they recognized. “Don’t y’all get dirty, hell,” Leesha spoke when they took off.
The low sound of R&B oldies played in the background. Kids were dancing to the tune of The Isley Brothers, running everywhere, and having fun. The smaller children played tag while the teenage boys shot basketball on a goal. There was a table set up for the children to make crafts, jewelry, draw pictures, and blow bubbles. Several tables were arranged for the grownups to enjoy card games, Checkers, and Dominoes.
“Let’s go sit by Aunt Katie ‘nem with their messy old asses,” Leesha suggested.
We walked a little piece under a huge oak tree where our elderly Aunt Katie sat with her cane resting across her knees. Her sisters, Aunt Edna and Aunt Donna Ann, sat in lawn chairs beside her. These were all my mother and Aunt Sara’s sisters. They all resembled each other with the long black hair, smooth and beautiful chocolate skin.
“Hey Aunties,” Leesha greeted.
They all gave us huge smiles and embraced us with hugs.
“Sit down, babies,” said Aunt Katie.
Leesha and I sat in two of the empty chairs aligned around them. They were the most gossiping women I had ever seen in my life. Soon as our butts touched the seats, one of our Aunt’s started.
“Leesha, baby are you pregnant or just retaining a lot of fluid? Yo’ feet look like they swollen,” Aunt Katie remarked.
"You do look fat, dear," added Aunt Edna.
I placed my hand over my mouth, crossed my legs, and snickered. I was so tickled!
Leesha gave me a dirty look and an eye roll, and mumbled, “Heifer, it’s not that funny.”
Aunt Donna Ann pointed behind us. “Look y’all, that’s Lou’s daughter, Nae, looking like a ole’ hoe. I don’t know why she’s dressed like that. She’s shaped like a tub.”
Many of my family members didn’t like cousin Nae because she always stayed in some type of drama and foolishness. My Aunties looked her up and down. When Nae waved in their direction, they looked away.
“Hmph, I’m not speaking to her,” Aunt Donna replied. “All she does is steal out of her grandmama’s purse, and she ain’t never been worth nothing. I’m glad my pocketbook is in the trunk of my car ‘cause she’ll steal the sugar out of a cake.”
Aunt Katie folded her arms and added, “I heard that she is looking for an assisted living home to put her grandma in. Can you believe that her grandma, Betty Ann, has had two bypass surgeries and a hip replacement?”
Before anyone could answer, she shook her head and kept going. “She’s half blind, can’t hear anything quieter than a jet engine, and takes thirty pills a day that makes her lightheaded. She has episodes with dementia, poor leg circulation, can hardly feel her hands and feet, and can’t remember if she’s eighty- five or ninety-two. And guess what… she’s still driving.”
“I’m calling the Department of Motor Vehicles on that heifer as soon as I get home,” Aunt Donna let out.
They went on for an hour cracking me and Leesha up. Gossiping was their everyday job. It was hilarious yet ridiculous. Listening to them had set my ears on fire, but I loved them.
Being back home felt so good, but I was already missing Rocco.
About To Pig Out
Molaysia
The culinary highlight of the event was the roasting and eating of the pig. My Uncle Lou, who prided himself on cooking the best barbeque in the world, offered to do the meat. He had placed it on a huge black portable grill. He opened the grill, and I could see that the animal was split down the middle. Its cavity was filled with strings of sausages, onions, peppers, potatoes, and ears of corn on the cob to add a little spice and flavor then stitched with twine. Normally, it was cooked throughout the evening before and into the wee hours of the morning. They slow roasted it while playing cards and the men took turns turning it.
Dinner was set for mid-afternoon. The swine was wheeled