if i were to write a letter about my day, it would go something like...

hi.

i've always figured, if you don't know where to start a conversation, start in the middle.
i'm home in houston. my brother and sister are already cooking. my brother, in fact, is on his second pan of cornbread because his first pan of cornbread was over-peppered, and we just can't have that. my task in all of this seems to be...to just...be there. the conversations between me and my family members go something like:
(i leave the kitchen...to actually DO something)
alexa (the youngest sister...walks to where i'm sitting): joy, will you come?
me: come where? come to the kitchen?
alexa: yeeesssss
me: but what will i do?
alexa: just...just come!
me: um, ok.
alexa: (sigh of satisfaction)
(we walk back to the kitchen)
me: hey, gingersnaps
alexa: i want one.
me: i want one too.
alexa: great (opening the bag)
me: i love gingersnaps.
i do love gingersnaps. i can't think of a holiday without gingersnaps. but that is not the point. in fact, there is no point to this conversation, and no point to me being in the kitchen. after opening the bag of gingersnaps, i stood and watched alexa make gingersnap and pecan crust for the sweet potato pie and complimented her on how finely crushed the gingersnaps were and exclaimed over the smell of toasted pecans and then marveled at how much butter went into the pie crust...but i didn't do anything. i can't cook at all; that's all alexa and allen (the brother). but, they like it when i stand there.
it seems to be my lot in life. for example, while i'm the worst shopper in my family, my other sister (melodie), who is the hands-down best bargain hunter among us, cannot make simple purchases without my approval. she has called me while i am in a different state because she is in a shoe store and has to decide whether or not she needs black pumps for work, and she's describing them to me on the phone, how high the heel is, how comfortable they are, how the toe is shaped, while, again, i'm in a different state, and thinking to myself, "how ironic," before saying something along the lines of, "sounds good, mel. they sound pretty useful. do you like them?"
"yeah, i like them."
"then get them."
"ok."
and we hang up. and there we have it.
why am i telling you this? i'm not sure, besides, i guess, because i'm supposed to be starting in the middle. and i'm in the middle of my family at the moment. and i'm really glad, because i've missed them.
we're the type of family in which everyone seems just a little too big for their respective bodies. we're not tall. i'm the shortest, but my brother is still only 5' 8", and yet, we always seem to be crawling on top of each other. our conversations overlap; even our phone conversations are sort of community property.
it's awful. it's wonderful. it's a violation of privacy, but i wouldn't have it any other way. at least, not during thanksgiving.

joy