Shani Pierce
English100 Professor Sabatino This narrative reflects on my life and how amazing it was to spend time with my family. We were close and it never was a dull moment. I can still imagine evrybody faces as we share laughter. Those times will always be memorable in my life. Thesis: Knowing that I can’t see my Granddaddy or my uncle Willie again, but always remembering the good times that we share. The day it began I never knew would be the end. I was only either eight or nine. Waking up at Granddaddy's and Nana house is the best, especially when it’s a day you're having a big family dinner. You're so excited your hearts starts to race and your feet starts to do a dance. Getting together with my family was like music to my ears. Laughing and reminiscing, and playing games, just having a good time. Oh, how I wish I could still smell my granddaddy Old Spice smell coming out of the bathroom after he put on his after shave. Nana in the bedroom putting on stocking that she knew had a run in it, but I dare not tell her that she might smack my lips. You couldn’t tell her nothing. She was tall dark and chocolate “5 7” thick in thighs, had dark pretty curly hair and legs for days! Nothing like the smell of hot grits cooking on the stove, bacon sizzling in the pan. Flap jacks were shaped like different animal shapes, and fresh glass of squeezed orange juice to wash it all down. My brother Carl was always the first to the table. My little sister Danielle would be last because my Granddaddy made her get dress before she came down stairs. Nana wanted us to eat and get out of her kitchen she was ready to start our family dinner. Breakfast dishes cleaned up and put away and how it’s time for the big dinner festive. Nana sitting in her favorite chair that look across from my handsome Granddaddy. Grandaddy had his favorite chair, and his favorite orange slices that use to sit in a glass jar on his table. I would dust off my Nana nicknacks, and they had to be right. She made me use a dust rag for the nicknacks and the black piano that we were never allowed to play on. Oh, but she made sure that the piano stayed shiny and black. I had to use a dust mop for her floors and she wanted me to do the bathrooms. I didn’t mind because I knew she was making my favorite “ blueberry peach cobbler, and my liver pate. Now, Nana could bake her butt off. She measured all her ingredients so every bite taste like some more.When my nana prepared for our big family dinner, there were always big crab type of pots that she would use to cook. One had sweet potatoes, regular white potatoes, eggs boiling, as well as turkey butts. The aroma from the turkey butts were smelling so good. Nana was standing over the kitchen counter rolling her dough out for her pies. I often ask her how do you make desserts from scratch. Her face would light up with joy.She was so happy to know that one of her grandchildren was interested in cooking. I loved being able to help her cook even if it was only snapping green beans, or peeling potatoes. I could smell those cakes baking in the oven and the pies sitting so pretty and patiently waiting for their turn to go in the oven next. Granddaddy had that aroma from the pot smelling so good. I knew he was making his famous stew beef. Nobody could throw it down in the kitchen like my Granddaddy not even my Nana. My Granddaddy had that southern style cooking. He also had garden with every vegetable you could name. Granddaddy would pick his veggies and line them up from smallest to largest cucumber and tomatoes. He did not play about his garden or his food. You knew when to be in the kitchen, and when not to be.You definitely better not have been in there while he was cooking. My grandparents had these great big mirrors that I loved to sing and dance while looking in them. I had on my regular clothes with my red slippers that had a little wedge heels to them dancing all over the house like I was on Soul Train you couldn’t tell me anything. My brother and sister was looking at me as if to say, “Girl if you don’t go sit down somewhere where do you think your at?” I was that little girl that stayed dancing and singing around the house, but my sibling was not feeling that oh well. Nana still in the kitchen rolling the dough making more pies. I think she made about eight to ten pies, but who’s was counting. The only thing that I kept counting was the time because I knew that this was going to be the best family dinner ever. As dinner was still preparing I decided to go outside a play with my friends until it was time to have our family gathering. Now where grandparents lived at their were two sets of twins that I enjoyed playing with. We always played double dutch, and freeze tag and many other games. I often think about my grandparents house and what it used to look like and wonderings how does look now. Are the steps still the same? Was there still a black screen door that I knew I was not allowed to let slam, or I would get my behind tore up! As I walk back in the house the sweet smell of sweet potato pie, blueberry peach pie, apple pie oh my! I could feel my stomach start to feel up from all the blueberry peach cobbler.Grandaddy in the chair after about an hour in the kitchen. He would sit down back in his chair ,and grab himself another orange slice out of his jar .He often times would share them if we ask, but we knew not to go in his jar without asking. Did I tell you how my Nana could bake some cakes that a make your lips pop. Nan always made my favorite cake strawberry shortcake and nobody was allowed to have any before I do. I actually believe she could make everybody favorite dessert. From the children to the grandchildren we all had own deserts that we liked. Actually my nana made all the grandchildren their own different desserts, and it was funny because we really had our own favorite kind that we like. I could smell blueberries, and apples, cinnamon like it was yesterday. Its about 4:00pm now and I’m so excited my family are soon to arrive. We have the best time ever. I can still picture the outfits we use to wear back then, hairstyles that people nowadays act like it old fashion, but not really understanding the true meaning of fashion. The curls that I wore was either a bang in the front of my head or the back of my head, I was too young to wear curls all over. Our styles in my family were not traditional, we wore what we wanted to wear.Overall we were the “BOMB.COM”! Doorbell rung, sounding like it was sick everytime it rang. Yes, my favorite uncle, my uncle Willie and his family. My uncle Willie could always keep a smile on my face. He was a jokester like me so we always laugh at everything. I would say something funny and he would always say, “ Girl what you talkin bout you crazy”! If I could bring my uncle Willie and My Grandaddy back would be so amazing. As the other family start to gathering in the house my face was lit like and Christmas tree. My heart was so filled with joy that I couldn't calm down I was always on go. I had my cousin Keia, Willie, Bernard etc. We always had a good time together. We didn't really play music, so I always entertain myself as well as others.I often sometimes medal in other grownups conversation because they always would be talking about something interesting. As we all gather around the table to say grace we held hands. The first thing I wanted on my plate was mac and cheese followed by some ham, turkey, potato salad, collard greens, sweet potatoes, black eye peas. You name we had it. We had enough food to start our own soul food company. It’s hard for me to cook now without wanting to make a feast. I grew up on big dinners, so that's all I know and I love it. I can still imagine everyone sitting at the table laughing and talking and eating. Now, not everybody could sit at the table, but we had another table in the kitchen. The porch or the living room is where most of the smaller such as myself would play. When it was time for desserts everybody had either a piece of cake with a side of ice cream or not, and then you had some family members who just wanted pie yum yum! I was so stuff from all of that good eating I knew it was time for a bathroom break. I needed a “DO NOT DISTURB SIGN”, because people will keep knocking to use the bathroom like as if we were at a club and it was a line for the bathroom! My family never had a set time for when they were going home.I didn’t care when they left I was enjoying myself and their presents were full filing to my soul. The love that I have for my family goes deeper than a cut throat. I never get that chance to tell my Granddaddy that I’m sorry for being such a “Miss Flipped Mouth” when I was coming up. He will never get to know how funny my daughter is or tell me that she act like you little “Miss Flippet.! Longing to hear your voice and uncle Willie's voice would bring such tears to my eyes. Having those big family dinners will never be the same. As I stand in the middle of my grandparents living room I suddenly stop hearing laughter, the faces that were in the room were not their, I didn;t hear my grandaddy voice anymore. My uncle Willie wasn’t smiling or looking at me with his beautiful big bright eyes.
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Author Shani PierceI will luse this blog on letting people in on a little about me and my children. Archives
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