Grand: Your Grand's birthday is this weekend.
Me: I'll be there
Grand: Mmm. Bring some wine. I'll get a good cheese tray
..........insert crickets........
Me: We don't eat cheese Grand
Grand: I built this family. I know what WE don't eat. I have US covered. Cheese is for company.
I can feel her staring at me through the phone
.........insert the quiet ribbit of a frog....
Grand discusses the controversy of her life through her garden...
Me: You figured out what you planting for winter?
Grand: Not sure. I'm thinking of planting some new seeds. Maybe you should too. Millie's garden is so nice. She got all different things over there.
Me: I don't plant grand.
Grand: All women plant just gotta mind what they choose to grow. Make sure it caters to their needs. And always be ready to pick what can be supported by the seasons of their life.
Me: You don't even like half the stuff Millie grows
Grand: Oh but I like to look out there and know she's growing something just for her. How boring would it be if we all chose the exact same things to put in our gardens? If we did that I'd never have a chance to have Millie's cucumbers and I like her cucumbers. The rest is just pretty to look at and I know that it feeds her well. Doesn't seem right that I would only be able to appreciate the garden I grow.
Me: How's Grand's garden?
Grand: humph! well. he got a few weeds but I'm gonna see if I can't figure that out for him.
Gotta go. Papa needs to find his socks. You mind your manners and eat your rabbit. Think of something savory to compliment the cheese, I suspect we will have rain. Good for the gardens to grow. We may have a guest drop in to say hello, aint that right??
Me: Yes ma'am.
Grand: good. I'll get the garden ready to show...you do the same for your garden. k?
Me: Yes ma'am.
Damn it! She knows. She only buys cheese for white folks because they don't have the lactose intolerance. Only one person could have told her. My mama. What the ...I'm not ready for him to meet family. IT'S ONLY BEEN A DAMN WEEK! I don't even know if I want him around in a relationship capacity and he doesn't seem to know if he wants me around for that either. We just like hanging out. Arrrgh!
In the end I chose not to bring him or even tell him about it. Just not ready for all that. The weeds in Grand(dad)'s garden tells me he's also aware and aint pleased. I was ready for the questions when I got to the party. Surprisingly enough, there weren't any. My Grand(mother) had clearly taken care of it. She pulled me aside and said, if this thing turns out to be something that makes you happy you better go for it. And we want to meet him so we can look at him and tell if something aint right. You know, except he went and caught his birth of the no pigment. I said oh yes, ever since Michael Jackson, that's going around. How's Grand(dad)'s garden faring? The Grands never travel more than 3 steps of each other so I wasn't too surprised to hear him clear his throat behind me. It's fine. Thank you. We did some weeding..when was that mama? day before yesterday? Grand(ma) yep, day fore yesterday papa. Grand(dad) mmm-hm. And how come you aint bring your new over? Beau's aint supposed to hide. I told him, it isn't that serious currently and I didn't know how he would deal with the fact that he was white. Grand(dad) looked me up and down. I want you happy. Period. I aint that old or feeble minded. Besides, that's how you started out (referring to the ONE white guy I dated in hs, he wasn't my 1st boyfriend just the 1st they ever met) why you shocked that's where you end up? If he treats you fine, I'm fine with him and won't drag his ass out to the shed. But mama went and bought cheese! You aint even bring him to look at her tray offerings. My profuse apologies that we may have to sicken ourselves with cheese so that it doesn't go bad.
Do I believe in God? Do I believe in me?
let me tell ya...
Some people die just to be free
Life is just a game, we're all the same...don't you wanna play a role in the
Controversy, controversy, controversy
All in all, the key players are now aware of him or, at least, the idea of him. Need not put out any more warnings or other labels. So if one day we decide to let this be something more than what it currently is...we're free of family whispers and controversy.
~Shai
Song: Controversy by Prince