Yesterday afternoon Ming and I arrived at my mother’s place for our annual family Christmas get-together, having been picked up by my sister-in-law and her twins who wanted to see Gutsy9. The house was buzzing with kids, adults, food preparation, champagne and my mother’s incredible efforts to make it a perfect event. We were missing a few people: my other sister-in-law who is in the Solomon’s, my eldest niece and her fiance, in Scotland, and a nephew who was needed elsewhere, but we were still a crowd. One nephew is married so his beautiful wife was there, and another nephew brought his girlfriend who nobody had met before. Then Anthony arrived in the wheelchair taxi so we numbered 17 in a relatively small house. And it was very, very hot.
The meal was magnificent – turkey, cranberry, ham, salads, beets, chicken, roast potatoes, broccoli etc. Some ate inside in the airconditioning and some of us ate outside on the patio. As Ants was in a wheelchair it was easier to stay outside. He’d arrived at 5.30pm and I’d ordered the taxi to pick him up at 7.30pm but by 6.30pm he was beginning to falter so I got Ming to ring the taxi to come at 7pm. But when it arrived Anthony had picked up a little so my emotions mangled up and I could feel the tears coming as I began to wheel him towards the driveway down to the road. One of my brothers instantly took over and wheeled Ants down while my other brother hugged me as I sobbed. Thankfully most of the family were inside eating and didn’t witness this little drama but my three little nieces ran out to say goodbye to Ants as he was hoisted into the taxi. They put their arms around me and held my hands as I tried to stop crying.
I did stop of course, with a rather impatient taxi driver reminding us that we needed to pay the fare so the search for my wallet and money shocked my tears away for a bit. Once that was done, I kissed Ants goodbye and waved him off, my eyes filling with tears again. The nieces went back into the house and my brother got me a beer and I sat outside on the patio with him, trying to normalize myself. A little later my mother came out by which time I was okay again and feeling a bit silly for my heartsleeve behaviour.
But I did it! I got Ants there and he saw the throng of family that love him so much and he had a good time surrounded by the buzz. I don’t think I have ever felt so grateful for my family as I did last night. My mother and my brothers are legends, the partners and children are magic, and, when I rang Anthony this morning, he was happy and remembered the evening.
jmgoyder 