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November 6, 2004

now here’s the moon, it’s allright

Tonight was the long-awaited family reunion, to honour my father and his 60th birthday. Everyone was there, people I haven’t seen in years, new babies, prodigal uncles, brides-to-be, travelling from afar. As my dad made his entry, his eyes opened wide. It was a surprise. My mother was looking quite beautiful and triumphant, holding the mapquest map I had sent last month for her careful study; “we didn’t get lost! and I kept the secret!” I could hardly believe.

There were red peppers signs next to every item on the menu, but I jumped in anyway. By dessert time I was beginning to doze off margaritas, and just listening to burst of voices, watching cigarettes fly. “Let’s not even mention politics!” “We’ll all be happy when we retire!” My father was looking longingly at the pile of gifts by the table. Like a good cat, I helped him unwrap. Inside we found books about old-time hockey, fishing paradises, québécois assassins, a phone and something for corks… Quite a loot of chocolate too, evenly divided between us two, as is the tradition.

One after the other, aunts dragged their chair next to mine, sighing, then smiling at me. “It’s so nice to see you. Where is your boyfriend?” “At war”, I said, and they wrapped their arms around my shoulders, cups dangerously close to my mouth. They inquired about work, about my brother. “You keep in touch, don’t you?” It was too loud to answer, with the band playing, the laughters. So I hauled a little cousin on my lap. “Nat, your mom just told me you visited Mexico! How was it?” I pointed to the mariachi band behind us. “It’s like this! It’s great.” I asked him how university was going, and I tried on his glasses. There always is so much catching up to do… sometimes I wish time stopped.

Posted by nathalie at November 6, 2004 11:40 PM

Comments

bonne fête père de nathalie!

Posted by: chris on November 8, 2004 11:11 PM

merci fiston!

le mot français du jour : papounet (how little kids call their dad)

Posted by: nathalie on November 9, 2004 1:32 PM

quel est un fiston?

Posted by: chris on November 9, 2004 2:12 PM

an affectionate term for son, young boy
(not to be confused with “piston”, the québécois term for dance music)

Posted by: nathalie on November 9, 2004 2:39 PM

http://www.spaceshipnofuture.org/pix/Fiston.gif

Posted by: chris on November 9, 2004 3:14 PM

http://2dou.free.fr/supaweb/parodie/papounet.jpg

Posted by: nathalie on November 9, 2004 3:41 PM