I enjoyed catching up with a friend this week and we shared some giggles about a tussle between two of his family members over Labor Day Weekend. I’m not sure if the hilarious story has the makings of a great commercial for hearing aids, a landscaping business or a jewelry store. Here’s what happened.
My friend called and said he had a crazy story to share about his family’s Labor Day celebration. It was a combo event – both to enjoy the long weekend and to acknowledge two milestone birthdays – a cousin who turned 95 in August, and an Aunt observing her 80th birthday last Saturday. His sizeable extended family came together for a big birthday barbeque – complete with endless casseroles and sweets and yes! TWO birthday cakes. He pointed out that two kegs of beer were also flowing and may…or may not…have contributed to the ‘circus’.
Circus, you say?
Yes. In the form of a large circle of lawn chairs assembled in the backyard. My friend’s sister was hosting the event and she decided it was best to round everyone up in a circle of lawn chairs and picnic tables. All the better for this band of 30+ to see (and hear) one another and enjoy the company of four generations of family. For an hour or so, all was well but then dinner was delayed due to sprinkles… but the adult beverages kept on flowing.
Finally they ate and some looked like they were ready for a nap. Food comas….poorly timed with the big birthday cake reveal and singing. My friend acknowledged that the formerly happy crew began to look a little cranky, but they carried on with cake and song – hoping to get ahead of gathering clouds in the sky.
Still sitting in a circle, communing with family, the newly 95-year-old wanted to go around and have everyone share their age. He joked, “None of y’all are spring chickens any more either”.
The problem? Not everyone wanted to play. One of the other aunts – a younger sister to the birthday girl turning 80 – took exception with the how-old-are-YOU game and demurred. Saying she was “29 again”. Whether it was boldness empowered by beer or just cantankerousness, the 95-year-old birthday boy would have none of it. Yelling a bit (but we suspect it was partly due to an ailing hearing aid battery) he taunted, “Don’t make me flip you over to count your rings!”
Maybe it was an old inside joke between the two of them but his bold declaration sounded less like a joke and more like a threat. In a blink, other family members jumped into the fray, admonishing the cousin for his rudeness.
It took a few minutes to get everyone back in their chairs and settle the melee. My friend quipped, “I felt like I crossed over to another universe with senior citizens behaving like schoolyard bullies.” What calmed everyone down? Mercifully, a sweet giggle from my friend’s daughter.
She’s six and stood wide-eyed and mouth agape listening to the adults argue about ‘counting rings’ and she did what I suspect any youngster would do. She assumed her 95-year old elder was about to count the rings on her great Aunt’s FINGERS. The idea of counting tree rings? Flew right over her head…but she fancied Auntie’s jewelry and jumped into her lap, declaring she’d protect her…and her “jewels”.
Oh my goodness. Rain began to fall and no one cared. The laughter about the rings…tree rings…jewelry…and the innocence of a little girl. It nearly made up for the cranky bits. One thing my friend knows for sure. His family has earned their reputation for wild parties. But no one expected a 95-year old’s birthday to be referred to as ‘the rumble’. A veritable TREE ring circus.
What I know for sure? I want to be around to be that 95-year-old someday. Saying what I think. Having a little fun. Stirring things up. Once upon a time a beloved professor called me an instigator…a ‘firestarter’. You can read about that in my Heart of the Matter post today as I muse about lifelong learning…and a couple of my own quirks.
-Vicki 😉
Victoria Ponders 
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