The Family Jewels
Brandon Joyner
I know a lot but not really some. I have a lot of cousins, aunts, and uncles that I enjoy seeing. We don’t really have it on both sides of the family, just one. It’s Dad’s side of the family (my Dad’s mom’s side of the family, I think... well, it’s his dad’s dad’s side)…
We get up early in the morning to drive up. We normally go to Columbia in South Carolina. It’s not a park, it’s at a church... like a church... it’s the church hall. Church gets out... at 12, but then we stay ‘till like 2 or 3 to visit and eat. It’s like church food, a pot-luck—where everyone brings something and it’s GOOD. Sometimes we bring broccoli casserole or black-eyed peas, it just depends. There’s a lot of different foods. My favorite thing there is the chicken and macaroni and cheese... sometimes rice, different kinds of desserts... chocolate—chocolate cake!
When I was a young kid, I used to play with my cousins—not really running around inside—sometimes we were outside, but it was very hot so we would stay inside most of the time, just kinda talking, but now we don’t really do that anymore... just kinda stand and talk with the adults. We also used to sing church music but we don’t do that anymore either. I used to love singing with the family, many good songs. I loved to sing with them.
Now, I just stay inside and talk and watch the family. I enjoy seeing my aunts and everyone comes up to talk to me. There’s a talk, not exactly like a meeting, but talks about life and how everyone is. It’s like celebrating birthdays if someone passes on or not here and sometimes anniversaries. That sort of thing.
We count [guess] how many candies in the jar and if you guess it right then you win and get to take the candy, but I’ve never won. So, I’m not real sure... but Dad says you do. And... we play BINGO! We put nickels, well not money, but sour candies [Sweet Tarts] on the words (instead of the numbers) under the letters. If you win, then you get a prize. There are different ones [prizes]. Then it [BINGO] starts up again... we play several times... maybe two or more.
After all the activities, we have to clean up and put all the tables and chairs back. I was sad leaving and was very tired by the time we headed home from the fun, but still had a good time while I was there.
~ John Joyner