Family BBQs

FAMILY

I miss my crazy uncles and aunties telling wild tales about their youth

I looked forward to spending my holidays eating food I did not cook. Grilled ribs, hot sausages, chicken, hot dogs, potato salad, cole-slaw, fruit salad, baked beans, watermelon, and greens, and peach cobbler were my favorites. Everyone would bring a dish. Those who couldn’t or wouldn’t cook brought paper plates, forks, spoons, napkins, and cups. Everyone ate like a tick until we could hardly move. Loud music drifted across the yard. When neighbors complained, we gave them a plate of food and a drink, making them a part of the fun. It’s hard to complain about a party you are at.

Every year I would drink with the old great-uncles and aunties sitting around in the shade. I learned more family “secrets” than I ever needed to know. The stories went something like this: “Young people have it so easy. I walked 50 miles to school every day.” They would laugh and take another sip when someone would point out that if they had to walk 50 miles, they would not have gotten to school that day. Then the seniors would tell us not being able to walk 50 miles in the morning showed how easy we had it.

The stereotypes of the old uncles and aunties fussing at the children running and making the younger ones bring them things, five things, one item at a time, are true. The seniors didn’t know all our names so they would just call us “child” or “baby”. “Child, go get me a beer.” “Child, see if that BBQ is ready. Baby, tell your mama to send me some napkins over here. Baby, put some more ice in this drink for me.” It didn’t matter to them which of us they caught. If you knew what was good for you, you did what they said. What you didn’t want was for them to call your parents over and start on them because of your unacceptable behavior. Oh, no, no, no. If your mom’s or dad’s parenting skills were called into question, they would demonstrate their skills on your backside.

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