The Estes "Golden" Family Reunion
Tuesday (continued)
Then comes the one with the grandchildren.
It's the same basic goal, with each of the five
grandchildren saying his or her name after the anniversary greeting
introduction, Larry telling them, "And I'll point..."
"How are you going to point if both your hands are
on the book?"
Natalie innocently fires at him.
"Good point," he innocently fires back.
More attempts, more retakes. Delayed
reactions, giggle
fits.
"Stop saying funny things, Dad!" Natalie and Alex
order him, laughing
and annoyed.
"Okay," Larry agrees, nodding. "Dead
puppies."
"Dad!!! Ewww!!!"
More getting set.
"How many pictures are we going through?" asks
Steven, trying not to
sound tired.
"If we had any more, I'd take them out," Larry
replies flatly.
They finally decide on -- and complete -- "Happy
fiftieth anniversary
from your grandchildren!" and we cheer.
I'm still thinking about our lunch over bar-b-que,
where our table discussed what we'd do in our lives if we could do
anything, so I ask the others what they would say. Natalie says
an artist in New York -- wait! She wants to change her answer,
but looks nervously around the room, not wanting to offend anyone
(eyeing the four Republicans), and it's pretty obvious it's politically
related. She smiles and says working for the Green Party, and I
ask not the ones who blew the election for the Democrats, right?
Larry's answer is back when he was happy at Sony with money to work
with and getting to meet celebrities daily. Alex wants to be a
social worker. Rita answers, laughing, what she's doing now --
"working four days a month!" (Weekends at the hospital as a
respiratory therapist.) Wayne, currently working for a major
track (eating, sleeping and breathing racing), smiles and says he
couldn't have a better job. Alex asks me what I want to do -- the
only person who asks me back, so I smile and thank her -- and Dad
announces with a smile, "She wants to write."
I finally manage to get the last of my signatures
for my picture mat, and it's surprising how a little request to sign in
the blank areas and stay away from the edge where the frame will cover
it raises comments.
First it's Larry's "Look, just tell me where to
sign."
"Anywhere here or there," I reply, pointing to the
blanker parts.
"But -- " I add, getting ready to note the frame covering part, and he
drops the pen and sighs before picking up the pen again and signing
it.
Then Mom signs it, heeding the direction I gave
Larry.
When it's Debbie's turn, I quickly throw out the
"Here and not too
close to the edge" direction reminder, and Debbie looks at Mom.
"Boy, she's bossy -- like a director," Mom
teases.
"Why don't YOU just sign it?" Debbie asks.
I drop my head into my hands.
Alex and Natalie sign it neatly and without any
heckling.
Wayne's happy to get the West Coast girls into
tonight's rounds of Jenga, as he's been wanting them to participate in
their family game, and I take the observing stance. Larry joins
them, and it's fun to watch them nervously tapping out the pieces and
nervously pulling them out. At one point, we're concentrating so
intently, Mom replies from the sitting area, "What's going on over
there? It's so quiet, it must be a very tense moment..."
Larry drops his head on the table and begins snoring loudly.
Eventually, we can't deny the evening has come to a
close. The Tennessee crew have to leave early in the morning, as
Steven's shift at the theater begins at 1:30, and he's been nervous all
day about getting to work late (he even disappeared after dinner to
take his shower and get that out of the way for the morning).
Wayne confirms with us that no one will be up to see them off at 8:30,
right? He's met with nods. (Larry's crew is planning to
leave late enough in the morning to hit Dillard's closer to lunch time
for a meal of veggies that Larry's been dreaming about.)
Hugs and good-byes, with last bits of conversation
as the
non-cottage-dwellers move toward the door. Larry leans against
the curtains and nearly falls, Natalie replies "Smooth move, Ex-Lax,"
and Wayne cracks up. Debbie tells Rita maybe they'll see them
later in the summer (they're hoping to come to a race), and we travel
back to our rooms for the evening.
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