Sunday Morning - two ay em.

The time is now 2am. I haven’t seen my house since 7:30am.

The thing about foreign-based family members making the obligatory trip home is that more often than not, they forget that we actually have things to do besides lime. I mean hey, I’m glad to see you too - I may not know you, but I’m glad – however let’s face it: we can’t squeeze four years of weddings, funerals, christenings, births, divorces and other bacchanal into a couple hours.

One of my mother’s brothers is in the country for two more days. He seems to be a relatively pleasant person, but I won’t put my head on a block for that. At least I can now say that I’m on speaking terms with one of the Trinimerican family. The others can still suck salt and die for all I care. No I don’t mean it literally…

Anyway so this relatively newfound uncle landed up. I had met him previously but it would seem at that time neither of us made much an impression on the other. All I know is that mumsy told me we had a family get together to attend since H_ was in the country. I was actually in the cinema taking in 30 Days of Night. I wasn’t impressed. Both with the movie and the idea of family. However since I have no argument with this side and honestly I had no plans for the evening I gave it a shot. Besides, mum had already decided that if she were to suffer so would I.

We got there at seven. My uncle J_ was greeted us because, well, it’s his house. E_ and M_ soon followed, so it was just a matter of the guest of honour to show up. This was about 8pm. Two hours, a number of phone calls, some frayed nerves and numerous jokes about Trini Time later uncle H_ finally graced us with his presence.

I reiterate:- he seems to be a very nice man. We talked, laughed and had a fun old time albeit short lived. M_ eternal joker that he is, ribbed H_ throughout about his sense of time and although some of the barbs did seem a bit vicious, I’ll blame fatigue.

In all I wasn’t upset that mum saw it fit to drag me along. Granted, I wasn’t pleased either – my sleep is important to me, more so since I think my insomnia’s returning- but as the lime ended with the usual lies about keeping in touch and the ritual of phone number taking, I had to marvel: so this is what normal families do. I still don’t see the big deal and I’d be perfectly satisfied if I don’t see them for another couple years.