What Up Cuz? What Up Blood?

Sunday, I went to my cousin’s house. She has lived about 20 minutes away for the last few years, but this is the first time I’ve been there. I’ve seen her in Savannah, but never since she moved to Atlanta. I was taking my sister by so she could buy a car from her. You remember, her joint got stolen from in front of my crib. Anyway, I have only 3 first cousins, and I hardly know or see them. In fact I can count on one hand, how many times I’ve seen them in the last 11 years. Once at my college graduation/mom’s wedding way back in 1997. Once at my brother’s wedding. Once at one of my cousin’s Steve's wedding. And then in June for my mom’s 60th birthday party. And this isn’t like I’m seeing all of them at one time. It’s usually just one or maybe 2 at a time. Growing up we had our family functions and summer vacations together. We were pretty close, as close as you can be when you live in different states. But around adolescence stuff started to change.

We just were, and I guess are, different types of people. I played football, they played soccer. I liked-ed Lisa Turtle on “Saved By The Bell”, they were Zack or Kelly fans. I rocked out to Public Enemy, them Pearl Jam (although I did like them too, its just a metaphor). They lived in a big house in Virginia, and we stayed with Grandma in a normal sized 3 bedroom house. It isn’t that I don’t like them, it’s just that I don’t know really know them or what they are about. I hear people who have great relationships with their cousins and wonder what that’s like. I guess it’s not too late to get to know them, but you know how I am. I can only make a minimal effort, especially if they aren’t making one either. I don’t know what the point of this was, just thinking out loud I guess. It’s pretty sad when my cousin’s children don’t know who I am.