Aunts and Uncles

Dede's comment about marrying into the family prompted me to send what I wrote about her dad.Most of my memories of my great aunts and uncles come from Anna's parties in the 1970's. I remember the unique smell of the back "shed", empty except for storage of beer and pop. No matter the time of year it was an uncomfortable temperature. We kids used to like to play behind Anna's vanity dresser in the winter. In the summer, we played on the porch which turned our hands black. What I remember most about the grown ups was poker and laughter. Harry Callahan told jokes that made people peal with laughter. I never got the jokes. But, because I was often shy around my cousins, I would sit near my parents in the crowded, smokey kitchen and listen to the adults. This is why I was witness to one poignant memory.It was a warm summer party at Anna's when a new widower came late to the party. He seemed nervous to me and he began to cry and tried to leave the party. Next thing I knew, the Crotty sister's jumped up in unison. (Of course this woke me up from my casual day dreaming). My grandmother (Lucille) reached out to him and said, "Mike, you are part of the family, now stay". He composed himself and started to relax. I remember he turned to me and gave me a "High five". This must have begun the infatuation my cousins and I had for Mike Jackson. We always expected "high fives" after that.Something struck me as significant at the last Crotty reunion. We have all moved across the United States chasing our dreams and assuming we are just the average American from the melting pot. But, I came to realize that I too have ethinic roots. It's some kind of Irish, Catholic, blue collar, industrial, Great Lakes, beer drinking roots where families laugh and love in their unique way. (over beer that is).