Visiting Lottie and Janelle

Yesterday, Rosie and I went to Monrovia to visit her great aunt Lottie and my cousin, Janelle. I anticipated that Rosie was going to find it quite an experience and I wasn’t disappointed.

There are many great storytellers in our family. I am probably one of the more pale practitioners in a crowd of masters.

Lottie told us about her volunteer work in Monrovia, doing whatever needed doing, teaching seniors to sew, giving rides to the doctor. She is full of life and as frank and candid as ever.

Janelle came over after we had eaten. Lottie had fixed us some soul food, which Rosie had requested. She originally requested gumbo, Lottie told her that they usually ate that when it was cold out.

After touring her home and looking at some of the portraits, like this one of Lottie, my mother, Betty, and their older sister, Marjorie, who died in 1963, just three days after President Kennedy was killed.

I shared the scrapbook that Rosie had made for me.

We sat down to ribs . . . hot links, collard greens and potato salad as Lottie told us stories about her relationships with her parents. She told us about her first new car, About the time Gram sold Grandpa Dorson’s car to the junk man while he was gone, trying to buy parts for it. When he went to try to retrieve it he was old, “Well, some of it’s over there in that pile, some of it’s over there in that pile . . .”

Once Janelle arrived, the energy raised immeasureably. The two of them kept us laughing loud and long. The way they told the stories only added to the outrageous content, The way they revealed the family history was certainly unguarded.

I was so happy to share this part of my family with Rosie. I realize now that I am older that those family dinners when we would gather round the table and Vivian, or Gram would hold forth with some incredible story, just in talking, just in being who they were. Their language was quite colorful and I have come to understand that there was nothing like it anywhere else in my life. I think I thought everyone must have a family like that. I wish they did!

They told us stories about the family, themselves, our other cousins, my older brother. About coming out to swim in our swimming pool, which they wouldn’t go in because it was too cold.

I am revived in my value of family. Rosie has given me new insight and renewed connection with some important people in my immediate family, my extended family and my family of friends. I am deeply grateful.