Imaginary Conversations and Random Thoughts

I guess you’ll need the background on HOE South here.

I guess I called it right, because sure enough, K-Shot made it up for the holidays. There was an immediate family dinner Christmas Eve and the larger family afternoon dinner on Christmas Day. Let’s start with Friday night. Those in attendance: Patron, Sweetie-pie, Special K, Code Name Eagle, Little D, Miss Nicky, Little C, K-Shot, Uncle Dem and Ramblin’ Man.

The dinner was a lot of fun. Uncle Dem is a very creative cook, with advanced cake making skills, while Ramblin’ Man is practically a gourmet. Which means that we had some weird stuff that normally I would not eat because I’m so finicky and kind of a baby about trying new foods. But I did because you know it would look bad not to. And it actually turned out to be pretty edible. I think my whole food problem came from a disturbing encounter eating sheep brains around age twelve. That was at a neighbor’s house who might have been Iranian. Or from Iraq. Can’t remember which. Hmmm. Sheep brains. I can’t believe I never made the connection before; it would explain a lot. So the food was good.

It wasn’t certain that Miss Nicky, Little C and K-Shot would make it, until they actually made it. They were expected, but not confirmed. Maybe my revenge would have to wait. Let me say I wasn’t nursing a grudge against K-Shot or anything. I just knew it would be fun to throw it back in her face in a friendly manner. Well I got my own little Christmas miracle when they did arrive.

You may have guessed from the wedding that Special K likes the liquor. See, I’m eleven years older than her, about fifteen years older than Code Name Eagle, and holy crap almost twenty-two years older than Little D. Which means I watched them grow up from an almost grown up perspective myself. So seeing someone I think of as a kid drinking all this wine is a little strange. It’s difficult to think of them as growing up and becoming adults.

Thing is, Sweetie-Pie also likes the wine, and there’s a bit of a running joke of who gets to keep the wine next to her place at the table. Miss Nicky and K-Shot were abstaining tonight.

So I’m doing my normal routine, which is to chip in with the clever comments while otherwise not really saying anything. Problem is, it’s only been in the last year or two that I have a peer group of non-parent level people available to really foster my contributions. I’ve got this whole innocent thing working. I’m the good one. The quiet one. Which of course enhances the shots I do get to take. Finally the moment came. Special K got a good shot in on me, and she’s sitting to my right. Then I’ve got K-Shot across from me to the left. So I note that I’m getting it from this side (Special K) tonight and K-Shot hammered me at the wedding, and I got to recount the whole story. In a cheerful way. And it was good for some laughs. Somehow, I neglected to mention that I regretted not going. Miss Nicky and Sweetie-Pie both thought it was smart not to go, because I would have ended up driving a carload of hammered chicks around all night, and maybe they would have bought me a Pepsi at some point.

Well Saturday, Miss Nicky and Little C and K-Shot were running late again, and Sweetie-Pie mentioned to me that they both thought I was nice and were glad I was there the night before and had fun. Which is nice, but I couldn’t figure out why she would need to tell me that. It was as if they thought I thought they didn’t like me or something. I don’t know why I would think that because I think they’re both great.

K-Shot is really big on the eye contact. Normally I’m looking all over the place; I just feel weird staring at someone as I talk, like I’m trying to mind-meld them or something. But I would find K-Shot looking at me once in a while, even if she wasn’t speaking to me. Weird.

Oh yeah. Special K and Sweetie-Pie were on me Saturday about my innocent silent act. They both let me know they were on to me. Sweetie-Pie was nice enough, mentioning the silent thing, but Special K nailed me, saying I was silent but deadly. I decided to ignore the negative connotation, with which I’m sure you’re all familiar.

And even though I’m like a total grump, I have to admit it is nice to see the family and spend time together. I hope you had the same opportunity with those who are special to you.