Ah, it's the holidays. Wow. I remember my father's large Italian family and holiday gatherings. I used to really love them. No seriously! I really did. Not because of the food or the festivities. It was the fights I loved! Uncle Joe and Uncle Rocky (his Italian name was Rocco) were both know-it-alls. They were masters in their own minds of every subject imaginable. After I was a seminary professor, one of them began to tell me about what Baptists believe. Mind you, he wasn't a Baptist nor had he ever been in a Baptist church. Such is the luxury of being a know-it-all. You just know all things.
Some of the family used to get so disgusted at Joe and Rocky's antics. I enjoyed listening to them banter about golf, baking, turkey, the Eagles, Glen Miller, the weather--you name the subject and they would argue about it. Our family gatherings during the holidays were a mass of confusion, misunderstanding, and mayhem. In the words of Raymond (whom everybody loves), commenting on the gathering of his family for Thanksgiving, it was dysfunction palooza. And I loved it. Hey, it was family.
So, when your family gets together this year for the holidays, and things begin to get out of control and go awry, just go with the flow, enjoy it. Name it dysfunction palooza. Shout with all joy, the words of Clark Grizwold, "Hallelujah! Holy s _ _ t! Where's the Tylenol?"
See ya around!
Brings back memories - oldest of 7 children, followed by 6 bothers about 2 years apart - talk about competition - I sure miss those times- 2 of 7 being gone. All I can say is:
ReplyDeleteClark Grizwold
Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun old-fashioned family Christmas! No, no! We're all in this together! This is a full blown, four alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on and we're gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny-Frigging-Kay! And when Santa squeezes his fat, white ass down that chimney tonight he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nut house!!
- your blogs are so entertaining and poignant. See ya amd
Amen!!
ReplyDeleteMike H.
I remember Uncle Rocky! He was a hoot!
ReplyDeleteAMD: The scene you quoted is one of my favorite in the whole movie.
ReplyDeleteSue: Oh I remember when Rocky visited us all in Florida. What a hoot.