Conversation Starter

A snippet of Father’s Day at ours:

Under the wilting peonies, two broken affirmation bracelets and a hand of Fatima were thoughtfully resting as a reminder of roots and creative approach. I placed them there yesterday, admiring the spot for its frequency in line of sight.  As my family arrived for Father’s Day dinner, appetizers began to fill the small breakfast table and the bowl disappeared into the active scene for a little while until my sisters partner, John, asked, “hey, Valerie, can we eat these too?”.   He was smiling like a opossum (that’s what my grandmother would have said – “that boy was smiling like a opossum”. What does this mean? I do and don’t know.  I suppose it’s a sly, joking smile but how this became associated with opossums?  Well, I’ll have to look into that…) My mother answered before I could, “John don’t eat those.  That’s some of Valerie’s spiritual stuff.  Just wait, she may start lighting candles and burning off burdens and writing out blessings.  You never can tell with that one.  I think she must be feeling mostly okay if it’s just a bowl of beads on the table.” John: “so if I did eat them, what would happen?” Valerie: “a direct and severe shedding of what no longer serves you.  You can eat them if you want to.” Quiet covered the kitchen.  Mouths went into thin lines and heads nodded.  My sister danced around the kitchen with swinging bell sleeves and a long button down dress.  It was a romantic sort of garment. “Cowboy caviar, anyone?” she smiled and filled the empty speckled bowl.  Dad: “Yummmmm, yes, please.” He settled into a chair next to John.  Everyone continued to enjoy the edible appetizers as I prepared a pitcher of club soda and lychee juice with lemon and bitters, and I thought to myself, “you never know what will be a conversation starter or bring it to dead halt.”