1987

April 7th, 2018

"Can I have the Seafood Bisque, please?"

"Alright, is that all?"

"No, and some coleslaw on the side."

"Alright, it will be right out."

"Thank you."

I am sitting next to my great grandmother, across from my brother, and beside my older sister. The table is full of four generations of my family. My great grandmother Lillian, my grandmother Marlene, my mother Susan, and Me and my siblings.

My sister's boyfriend was also there.

We had to put two tables together so we had enough space to socialize. I had chosen a hand full of songs from the jukebox, since I listen to older music, that my Great Grandma would like.

I chose "All I have to do is dream" by the Everly Brothers, "Can't help falling in love with you" By Elvis Presley, "The way you look tonight" by Frank Sinatra, "you're so square" by Buddy Holly, a few Tony Bennet songs, and "Sentimental Journey" by Doris Day.

Great grandma walked over to the jukebox with me and, I love it when she does this, she told me a story of her husband, Peter, and that he listened to the song "Moonlight Serenade" when he was coming home from his Naval duties. So together we chose many songs that she remembers from her long life.

By long life I mean the past ninety two years of her life.

We were all gathered together today to celebrate a late Easter and a late Birthday for her.

As we were eating, I held up a conversation with my older sister, Shannon, about what I have been participating in during school, and what my plans are for the summer. We also discussed our future trip to Vans Warped Tour this summer.

"How would you feel if I asked you to switch seats?" Shannon asked.

I just shrugged, and we switched. She just wanted to be a part of the conversation going on between the first three generations.

"I don't like it when people don't believe how old I am!" Lillian said.

"That's just because you look so good for your age!" My mom stated.

"I mean, I guess it is kind of insulting. If someone says they don't believe you." Shannon stated in.

They all just nodded in agreement. My grandma Marlene laughing in the background.

"I'm ninety two years old. That's terrible."

"No, that's amazing! I can see you being her for another twenty years!" My mom explained with a look of joy.

"Well you know how I've lived so long. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't date other people's husband's."

The entire table started laughing. Wow, my great grandmother really is something. She's almost a century old and her mind hasn't faltered one bit. She's really brilliant.

"You know, you're right!" My Mom said, "Movie stars always say 'I stay healthy by drinking every day and smoking a cigar every day.' but never once have I heard them say 'I stay alive because I sleep with other people's husband's.'"

Then they started gossiping about Lillian's old friend, Cathy.

"I stopped associating with her! She was just everywhere."

"Why? Did she sleep with other people's husband's?"

Lillian raised her eyebrows but was serious "I don't know! Probably!"

Then I tuned out of the conversation for a while until I  heard my mom say to Lillian "wait, you still have a baby tooth?"

"Yes! It's right here." And she showed us. Wow, a ninety two year old woman who still has a baby tooth.

When we left the Café, we decided to go to the grandma's house to try and fix their telephone, which we were ultimately unsuccessful at.

We just stood in the kitchen in front of Great Grandma's orange curtians talking as my mom accidentally leans against the gas stove and turns it on. Multiple times.

I have very fond memories of this house. I would come here every summer for a couple of days when I was younger and I remember playing Littlest Pet Shop on the bedroom floor and watching Beatlejuice late at night.

That was before they got a new television.

I remember walking their dog, Ike, during the day and playing with him in the guest room.

That was before he got older.

I remember watching old Nickelodeon shows in the basement with my Grandma Marlene and eating fudge sickles and playing on there excercise machines.

That was before they quit working.

I remember so much of my time there, I often wish I could have stayed. It was so peaceful and I was so content.

That was before I got older.

That was before I started to have needs if my own and my family started to become disfunctional.

My family has always been odd, but I was always happy. Until I got to be ten years old. That year was, so it seems, the beginning of eight more years of suffering and misery.

But, now, standing in this kitchen with Ike at my feet and seeing how nothing in this kitchen has changed, it births hope In me once again.

I somehiw dozed off into my own little world for a few minutes so I missed the beginning of the conversation, but my grandmother wanted to show my mom they house that they used to live in. The house where Marlene married my Pap, Joe. So we all decided to leave and go see the house, but they were quickly out the door and I was waiting for Great Grandma to get her jacket on. After a couple of moments we get to the door and I open it and see my mother's car already half way down the street.

"I think they left with out us." I say to Lillian.

"What? Well that's not a very nice person then."

She probably thought her daughter was driving but it was my mom.

"Oh wait, that's your mom driving huh?"

"Yeah, they probably just thought we were staying here or something. They'll probably be back soon."

"Oh alright, well we may as well go upstairs and watch some TV. There isn't much else here to do."

We walked upstairs to the guest room and she put on the golden girls and she told me how Betty White is only four years older than her and that the other three golden girls were already dead.

I then noticed an oil painting on the wall behind it.

"Is that you and your husband?" I asked looking at the painting.

"Yes. Can you tell?"

"Yeah, you still look the same. Where did you get it?"

"Well my husband, Peter was his name. Peter McLaughlin. McFergeson was his middle name, which was his mother's Maiden name."

I chuckled. That's a very Scottish name.

"We had been neighbors for all our lives..."