ANTICIPATION
Yeah ok fine… I used a Lewis Black album title to start…
deal with it. At least I acknowledge its been used before, carly simon..
It is Tuesday and it’s 3 days from the unofficial start to
the 2012 biannual reunion festivities. Those flutteries in your stomach get
buttered and your heart grows, not from the buttery blockage, but in
anticipation of the largest family party on the planet. Well, to us.
Weddings funerals birthdays anniversaries… none of this
compares to the reunion. You don’t have to worry about who you’ll meet. You don’t
have to worry about how you act. You know EVERYBODY and they know you. And through
your own dealings and attitudes you learn to accept even those you secretly
hate for even one weekend. Yes, even I will be loved if only for a weekend. J
Its magical to see everyone getting along as a family
should. Albeit dysfunctionally like ours usually does. (and no, Chris, the ball
was out. Or as Joe would inevitably say “le buell se outeu! Bleu blaehu deu
entre. Se quis, bojour croissant. En passant…” no, that’s chess. And in English,
it’s just as annoying… but it’s why we go. It’s family.)
But the anticipatory element is like a child’s wonderment of
first, why the hell is a tree in the house, why are we wrapping it in lights
and all this for a fat red guy to give us gifts? That last part keeps us good
for the last 14 minutes of the year in preparation of Christmas. Well, the week
before the reunion is like that first realized Christmas to me.
Nowadays texts and email keep us in communication with one
another. Social media I am not a fan of, but a lot of you will be facebooking
the event. And the closer the day comes, the more I think about those who won’t
be celebrating with us for whatever reason. Not important reasons like nate and
kirstin’s new cousin making me a new cousuncle again… that’s an understood
reason as to why you won’t be making it here. In fact we all probably hope you
wouldn’t come due to the soon to be one week old’s just getting used to the clean,
healthy Chicago air. – an aside about air… it’s one of those things that makes you
happy it isn’t made in China.
As for those we won’t be seeing with legitimate reasons why
they won’t come, I’m talking about why we golf. I don’t golf but once every 2
years. (minus the occasional joe murphy golf tourney). And it’s in memory of my
uncle Vincent joy. Just saying his name makes ya happy. Vinnie joy! (joy’s in
his NAME!)
I’m talking about why we’re here. Rita and pete. Aunt kay. Uncle
ange. Aunt Gladys. Aunt Theresa. Aunt patty. Uncle joe. Aunt connie. Uncle mike.
Jiggs. Uncle jim. Great gramps n gram zarbo! It’s all in the name, kids!
Yes, I mentioned jiggs… he was a feisty little guy and was a
tremendous fan of uncle mike’s. He’s probably sitting with uncle mike in his
pink leotard right now waiting to pound me into the ground for mentioning it
was pink and in fact whilst I’m down there, jiggs will lick my face into something
a woman would find attractive. Until then, mirrors be damned!
Jokes aside, I think about them in a high regard. I wonder
if they’re all together making sure the event goes as planned or making sure
that for this once joe will award gib the point without a fight. Or maybe they’re
all just chillin in a box. Either way, I hope they’re together.
As we will be. Soon!
Only 2 days and 12 hours to go, but who’s counting…
III
Ps… 730 days from Sunday…
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