Over the weekend, my wife, son and I went to North Carolina for Memorial Day weekend. The first few days were fine. We spent one day with my brother and his girlfriend, who we have not met prior to now. However, our Sunday cookout is what I wanted to write about. First, my mom calls me the Thursday before our trip asking how long we plan on staying because all of the family are going to be at her house for a cookout on Sunday. My family, for some background info., are good time folk who enjoy Nascar and daily doses of family drama that are brought on by pseudo-crises situations that are created themselves. So mom is distraught on the phone because she thinks that we are not going to stay for the cookout. I assure her that we were going stay for the weekend's festivities.
Now once we get there she, for drama purposes, informs us of the new developments of who is not going to be at the cookout because they have not called her back. She stated that "I don't know if your Uncle Jim and Cathy are going to be here." "How come?" I ask. "Because they haven't called me back." Then she proceeds to let us know that my cousin, Michelle, and her fiance, Jerry, are going to make the hot dog chili. The same chili that my brother told me that in order to get rid of excess liquid, Jerry, let the chili come to the point of burning instead of draining off the liquid. The drama centered around the cookout and who is going to show and not show.
Mom's boyfriend, Bob, and his two grandchildren came. Bob, by trade, drives a wrecker for tractor trailers. He came to this year's cookout complete with pictures of some of the trucks that he has had to tow or work with. My Uncle Jim, whose 1st words to my 3 month old son was "hey fat boy!" and his wife Cathy did show with their grandson, a 15 month old baby who would have his fill of diet Mtn. Dew, Little Hugs, and other soda products. Then there was my cousin and her fiance, Jerry. Jerry did bring the hot dog chili and it tasted o.k. Once everyone arrived the conversation was awkward and it turned to Nascar and the race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Jerry would go on to pontificate on how this is a favorite track of many of the race car drivers in his smokey and raspy voice. Bob and Jim joined the discussion on favorite drivers and how they need to do today.
So not knowing much about racing I bring up the previous NCAA b-ball tournament and stated to my uncle the heartbreaking loss of his beloved Duke Blue Devils in the 1st round....awkward pause and then the answer from him "well at least I didn't call anybody when UNC lost." Hmmm, how do I respond to this? This was the question that I repeatedly asked my self several times during the cookout. My wife became quiet for much of the cookout. Everyone then moved to mom's living room to watch the race. Bob took off his shoes and socks and made himself comfortable on the couch where no one else could sit. Jeff Gordon was out of the race so he stated that he was not going to watch the race anymore and they would eventually leave a few minutes later.
My aunt Cathy, who was not able to make it, was probably involved in her love triangle with a guy who is addicted to prescription meds and her live in husband, ex-husband, now husband again. I wish I was a better writer and knew more of the goings on in my family. I could post a daily blog on the daily lives of my family.
This is the cookout that my mother so wanted us to come for. We saw family members that we said only a few words to and to hear the current deliberations of Nascar nation. Ahhh, family gatherings. What stories would go untold if we did not have them. I just hate my brother was not there to share my thoughts and experience of this Memorial Day cookout 2007.
