When one of my cousins invited us to an event as part of a monthlong black history celebration, several of us had different ideas about what it would be: a potluck, a dance, a play, or some other presentation. I knew for sure that it was a potluck because, once again, Mom had been requested to make potato salad.
Parents Ready to Party
My sister, brother-in-law and I arrived earlier than my parents and a cousin who also attended. We sat at one table and my parents at another. Although the event was a potluck of sorts, I was so happy that we’d eaten Japanese food prior to attending the event. My sister and her husband are pescatarians, so it was especially important to them that they had an actual meal.
Before Mom Makes the Rounds
The only “program” during the event was the lineup of black music the DJ played all evening long. The Motown hits kept coming, along with other genres of black music. Of course the DJ called for a Soul Train line, line dances, slow dances and we freestyled.
Mom Sandwich
We never managed to get Mom and Dad to dance together. Mom’s number one mission was talking. Dad’s never been as much of a talker, compared to Mom, but he’s hardly ever met food that he didn’t want a “taste” of. No matter how soon we had just eaten.
Our Host Joins Us
I barely tore Mom away from socializing to get her to dance the Wobble. I generally can’t stand line dances, but to entice Mom to join us on the dance floor, I made the necessary sacrifice.
Dancing Queens
Yet, for Dad, my sister requested a slow song. Much slower than the music which the DJ had been playing. When the DJ announced a Father-Daughter song, I had been content videotaping the whole thing, but one of my cousins took my camera, and insisted I join my father and sister dancing.
Dapper Dad
At the end of the evening, which was around 8 PM since the party was held in the recreation room of a retirement community, Dad just naturally struck a pose while waiting for the car to be driven around. A GQ model couldn’t have done it better.