1991

Family Reunion

Family at the reunion

Arrival

For the Labor Day holiday I took a couple days of vacation and flew down to Florida for Junior family reunion which was to be at Uncle Gary’s log cabin house. Anne couldn’t go as she was starting back college at the local George Mason University and was back living at home. Julie, well she was fine with me going by myself, she would stay home with Anne.  Julie dropped me off at the Dulles Airport on Saturday and I flew into Jacksonville where Mom and Dad did the hour and half drive from Gainesville to pick me up.  I didn’t feel too bad asking them to do so, they were retired now and had the time, and it was nice to talk to them on the drive back to Gainesville.

Upon arriving home Mom tells me I can stay in the “big bedroom” which was my older sister’s bedroom when I was in high school. My brother and I shared the “small bedroom”, yeah like how fair was that.  I look at the double bed with its matching country quilt and frilly pillow shams and think, “It was probably good Julie didn’t come, it would have been strange to be sleeping here together.”  I deposit my suitcase and return back to the family room where everyone had gathered.  By this time David had arrived and Dad, David and I sat in the family room while Mom went to the kitchen to make dinner. A short time later she says, “Dinner’s almost ready, David why don’t you come set the table.”  It was pretty amazing how she could do this, her and Dad would come home from work at 5:15 and she would have dinner on the table at 6 o’clock. I don’t remember what it was, I’m sure it was meat, potatoes, a vegetable and a small, tossed salad, sweet ice tea to drink. No, it’s not “iced” tea.  As we finished dinner, David started clearing the table which, I learned later, was his standard practice when he came over every Saturday night for dinner, well that and to do his laundry. 

After dinner we sat in the family room watching TV and talking until around 9pm when David said he had to get going. Shortly thereafter Mom said she was going to bed, while I sat with Dad for a while watching some TV show. Dad and I sit there without saying much until around 9:45 I told Dad I was tired and was going to bed and he said good night, that he too would be going to bed soon.  I take my leave and go to brush my teeth in the so very small bathroom that all six of us had shared when we were kids.  It pretty much looked the same, pale green 1950’s tile, new paint on the walls, new and much nicer shower curtain, Dad had replaced the sink with a small vanity.  I look at the floor and see the small round white dots on certain tiles, I made them by dropping a ball bearing on the floor while sitting on the toilet as a boy. I clean up and go to Brenda’s old bedroom and climb into bed.   A few minutes I hear Dad going to bed. I fall asleep remembering playing in the hall outside the bedroom, the many memories of childhood…

 

Sunday