| Biographical Non-Fiction posted September 16, 2013 | Chapters: |
...21 22 -23- 24... 
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Tempers flare out of control on Christmas Day
A chapter in the book Chasing the Elusive Dream
Holiday Drama
by BethShelby
The minute we walked into Evan's parents' home that Christmas Day, we realized something was very wrong. Everyone sat around wearing a strange combination of expressions which varied between shock and depression. Although we were late, the fact we'd arrived at all was barely acknowledged. What had happened? Where was the joyous high-spirited celebration we had come to expect during the holidays? Why was no one eating? Surely the meal wasn't over.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were two occasions we traditionally celebrated at the homes of our parents. My parents lived in a Mississippi town sixty miles east of Jackson. Evans' parents lived in an even smaller town nearly twenty miles further south. As an only child, the celebration with my family was limited to only my parents and us. Evan was one of five children. All of them came with along with their families for these occasions. Christmas Eve was celebrated with my family, and noon on Christmas Day was reserved for his parents.
Evan's older sister, Helen, had one son who was twelve years older than our children. Her husband, Joe, didn't attend because he never cared to be a part of the family dynamics. He owned a factory that manufactured church pews. Joe liked to play the big shot, although he often condescended to buzz the house, at some point during the day, in his private plane.
Maxine, two years older than Evan, was married to Wayne, who was very sociable and loved being part of the family. They had two sons, near my children's ages. Wayne managed a tire and auto parts store.
Rhomas, Evan's only brother, worked as a project engineer and was married to Shirley. They also had two sons near the ages of our children.
Evan's sister, Nan, was the baby of the family. She was fifteen years younger than Evan and was married to Richard. She was pregnant with her first child. Opinionated and untactful, Richard hadn't managed to fit into the family. His manner of speaking often left people hurt or angry. Evan and I learned to overlook his abrupt manner and became comfortable around him. I found him to be an interesting character because he was a writer, photographer, and a very talented craftsman.
Richard's personality had clashed with Wayne's from the first time Nan brought him for a visit. A typical Southerner, Wayne made a joke that had racial overtones. Richard took exception and challenged him, making him look foolish. Evan's older sisters found their own reasons for disliking Richard. Still. Nan loved her sisters and looked forward to spending holidays with them.
This Chirstmas we'd been delayed. While we were still in route, a drama was unfolding at the Shelby residence. Richard had been a diabetic since early childhood. It was late enough that his blood sugar was dropping, and he was anxious to eat. Wayne, also a diabetic, was having his own blood sugar problems.
"Come on ladies. Get a move on. It's late. When's the food going to be ready? I need something to eat, now," Richard said, as he got up and moved toward the table, which was being prepared buffet style. "What do we lack here? Where's the turkey?"
"Maxine, do you reckon we ought to go ahead and start? I hate to eat before Evan's family gets here," Mrs. Shelby said. "They ought to be here soon, but everything's ready, and the food is going to be getting cold if we don't go ahead and start eating."
"Yes, let's go ahead and start. The kids are getting hungry, and Wayne needs to eat on account of his blood sugar. They won't mind us starting. They can eat when they get here."
Richard had already grabbed a plate and started filling it, when Wayne picked up a plate and moved in front of him. "I'm going ahead and fix the boys' plates," Wayne said. "Shirley, you might want to fix your boys' plates too. They can take their food into the front room and watch TV while the rest of us eat."
"Hey, Man. What do you mean pushing in front of me?" Richard growled, giving Wayne a shove.
"Watch it, Bud," Wayne snarled at Richard. "What do you think you're doing? You can wait. I'm making plates for the kids. You want to fight me? I'm ready right now." He put the plate down and turned to face Richard, giving him a sharp jab to the shoulder.
Richard staggered back and hurled his plate of food against the wall. "You can go to hell, Man! I don't have to be a part of this." He turned and rushed out of the house. In seconds, he'd jumped into his car and took off.
The women had been grabbing at the pair and begging them to stop. Maxine's boys were crying, while Rhomas's two sons stood, bug-eyed with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Wayne looked embarrassed and offered a quick apology, before grabbing his jacket and heading for his own car.
Evan's father, who was suffering from emphysema and heart problems, had turned pale and was having obvious problems breathing. Mrs. Shelby went to his aid. "Arthur, are you going to be all right? Let me get your pills. Do we need to get a doctor?" Maxine ran to get water, while Helen stood by nervously wringing her hands.
Rhomas' face was crimson. He kept clenching his hands into fists and releasing them, all the while muttering to himself. "Richard started it. I knew he was going to be trouble from the start. He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."
Tears streamed down Nan's face. "It was just as much Wayne's fault as Richard's," she insisted. "He shouldn't have pushed in front of him."
Shortly after this, our own branch of the family arrived on the scene. "What's wrong?" I asked. "What's happened here?"
Gradually, the story came out. No one had eaten anything. It appeared they had all lost their appetites. Eventually, we did eat, but like the rest of the family, we were shocked. Richard returned much later, but refused to get out of his car. Nan went out to meet him, and soon they departed for home.
Wayne came back after a few hours and apologized again. "I don't know what got into me," he said. "That guy gets under my skin. Something just snapped."
This episode marked the end of occasions when all of the family could be together. From that day on, Maxine's family and Nan's family worked to make sure their paths didn't cross again. One family would be there for Thanksgiving, and the other would come for Christmas.
Personalities clash in the best of families. This wasn't our fight. Evan loved all three of his of his sisters, and all of them were welcome in our home. One thing we've learned over the years is to pick our battles carefully. In this incident, there were no winners, and taking sides wouldn't have made life better for anyone. The two inlaws, were never able to be around each. We adjusted to seeing to their families on alternate occasions.
The minute we walked into Evan's parents' home that Christmas Day, we realized something was very wrong. Everyone sat around wearing a strange combination of expressions which varied between shock and depression. Although we were late, the fact we'd arrived at all was barely acknowledged. What had happened? Where was the joyous high-spirited celebration we had come to expect during the holidays? Why was no one eating? Surely the meal wasn't over.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were two occasions we traditionally celebrated at the homes of our parents. My parents lived in a Mississippi town sixty miles east of Jackson. Evans' parents lived in an even smaller town nearly twenty miles further south. As an only child, the celebration with my family was limited to only my parents and us. Evan was one of five children. All of them came with along with their families for these occasions. Christmas Eve was celebrated with my family, and noon on Christmas Day was reserved for his parents.
Evan's older sister, Helen, had one son who was twelve years older than our children. Her husband, Joe, didn't attend because he never cared to be a part of the family dynamics. He owned a factory that manufactured church pews. Joe liked to play the big shot, although he often condescended to buzz the house, at some point during the day, in his private plane.
Maxine, two years older than Evan, was married to Wayne, who was very sociable and loved being part of the family. They had two sons, near my children's ages. Wayne managed a tire and auto parts store.
Rhomas, Evan's only brother, worked as a project engineer and was married to Shirley. They also had two sons near the ages of our children.
Evan's sister, Nan, was the baby of the family. She was fifteen years younger than Evan and was married to Richard. She was pregnant with her first child. Opinionated and untactful, Richard hadn't managed to fit into the family. His manner of speaking often left people hurt or angry. Evan and I learned to overlook his abrupt manner and became comfortable around him. I found him to be an interesting character because he was a writer, photographer, and a very talented craftsman.
Richard's personality had clashed with Wayne's from the first time Nan brought him for a visit. A typical Southerner, Wayne made a joke that had racial overtones. Richard took exception and challenged him, making him look foolish. Evan's older sisters found their own reasons for disliking Richard. Still. Nan loved her sisters and looked forward to spending holidays with them.
This Chirstmas we'd been delayed. While we were still in route, a drama was unfolding at the Shelby residence. Richard had been a diabetic since early childhood. It was late enough that his blood sugar was dropping, and he was anxious to eat. Wayne, also a diabetic, was having his own blood sugar problems.
"Come on ladies. Get a move on. It's late. When's the food going to be ready? I need something to eat, now," Richard said, as he got up and moved toward the table, which was being prepared buffet style. "What do we lack here? Where's the turkey?"
"Maxine, do you reckon we ought to go ahead and start? I hate to eat before Evan's family gets here," Mrs. Shelby said. "They ought to be here soon, but everything's ready, and the food is going to be getting cold if we don't go ahead and start eating."
"Yes, let's go ahead and start. The kids are getting hungry, and Wayne needs to eat on account of his blood sugar. They won't mind us starting. They can eat when they get here."
Richard had already grabbed a plate and started filling it, when Wayne picked up a plate and moved in front of him. "I'm going ahead and fix the boys' plates," Wayne said. "Shirley, you might want to fix your boys' plates too. They can take their food into the front room and watch TV while the rest of us eat."
"Hey, Man. What do you mean pushing in front of me?" Richard growled, giving Wayne a shove.
"Watch it, Bud," Wayne snarled at Richard. "What do you think you're doing? You can wait. I'm making plates for the kids. You want to fight me? I'm ready right now." He put the plate down and turned to face Richard, giving him a sharp jab to the shoulder.
Richard staggered back and hurled his plate of food against the wall. "You can go to hell, Man! I don't have to be a part of this." He turned and rushed out of the house. In seconds, he'd jumped into his car and took off.
The women had been grabbing at the pair and begging them to stop. Maxine's boys were crying, while Rhomas's two sons stood, bug-eyed with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Wayne looked embarrassed and offered a quick apology, before grabbing his jacket and heading for his own car.
Evan's father, who was suffering from emphysema and heart problems, had turned pale and was having obvious problems breathing. Mrs. Shelby went to his aid. "Arthur, are you going to be all right? Let me get your pills. Do we need to get a doctor?" Maxine ran to get water, while Helen stood by nervously wringing her hands.
Rhomas' face was crimson. He kept clenching his hands into fists and releasing them, all the while muttering to himself. "Richard started it. I knew he was going to be trouble from the start. He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."
Tears streamed down Nan's face. "It was just as much Wayne's fault as Richard's," she insisted. "He shouldn't have pushed in front of him."
Shortly after this, our own branch of the family arrived on the scene. "What's wrong?" I asked. "What's happened here?"
Gradually, the story came out. No one had eaten anything. It appeared they had all lost their appetites. Eventually, we did eat, but like the rest of the family, we were shocked. Richard returned much later, but refused to get out of his car. Nan went out to meet him, and soon they departed for home.
Wayne came back after a few hours and apologized again. "I don't know what got into me," he said. "That guy gets under my skin. Something just snapped."
This episode marked the end of occasions when all of the family could be together. From that day on, Maxine's family and Nan's family worked to make sure their paths didn't cross again. One family would be there for Thanksgiving, and the other would come for Christmas.
Personalities clash in the best of families. This wasn't our fight. Evan loved all three of his of his sisters, and all of them were welcome in our home. One thing we've learned over the years is to pick our battles carefully. In this incident, there were no winners, and taking sides wouldn't have made life better for anyone. The two inlaws, were never able to be around each. We adjusted to seeing to their families on alternate occasions.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were two occasions we traditionally celebrated at the homes of our parents. My parents lived in a Mississippi town sixty miles east of Jackson. Evans' parents lived in an even smaller town nearly twenty miles further south. As an only child, the celebration with my family was limited to only my parents and us. Evan was one of five children. All of them came with along with their families for these occasions. Christmas Eve was celebrated with my family, and noon on Christmas Day was reserved for his parents.
Evan's older sister, Helen, had one son who was twelve years older than our children. Her husband, Joe, didn't attend because he never cared to be a part of the family dynamics. He owned a factory that manufactured church pews. Joe liked to play the big shot, although he often condescended to buzz the house, at some point during the day, in his private plane.
Maxine, two years older than Evan, was married to Wayne, who was very sociable and loved being part of the family. They had two sons, near my children's ages. Wayne managed a tire and auto parts store.
Rhomas, Evan's only brother, worked as a project engineer and was married to Shirley. They also had two sons near the ages of our children.
Evan's sister, Nan, was the baby of the family. She was fifteen years younger than Evan and was married to Richard. She was pregnant with her first child. Opinionated and untactful, Richard hadn't managed to fit into the family. His manner of speaking often left people hurt or angry. Evan and I learned to overlook his abrupt manner and became comfortable around him. I found him to be an interesting character because he was a writer, photographer, and a very talented craftsman.
Richard's personality had clashed with Wayne's from the first time Nan brought him for a visit. A typical Southerner, Wayne made a joke that had racial overtones. Richard took exception and challenged him, making him look foolish. Evan's older sisters found their own reasons for disliking Richard. Still. Nan loved her sisters and looked forward to spending holidays with them.
This Chirstmas we'd been delayed. While we were still in route, a drama was unfolding at the Shelby residence. Richard had been a diabetic since early childhood. It was late enough that his blood sugar was dropping, and he was anxious to eat. Wayne, also a diabetic, was having his own blood sugar problems.
"Come on ladies. Get a move on. It's late. When's the food going to be ready? I need something to eat, now," Richard said, as he got up and moved toward the table, which was being prepared buffet style. "What do we lack here? Where's the turkey?"
"Maxine, do you reckon we ought to go ahead and start? I hate to eat before Evan's family gets here," Mrs. Shelby said. "They ought to be here soon, but everything's ready, and the food is going to be getting cold if we don't go ahead and start eating."
"Yes, let's go ahead and start. The kids are getting hungry, and Wayne needs to eat on account of his blood sugar. They won't mind us starting. They can eat when they get here."
Richard had already grabbed a plate and started filling it, when Wayne picked up a plate and moved in front of him. "I'm going ahead and fix the boys' plates," Wayne said. "Shirley, you might want to fix your boys' plates too. They can take their food into the front room and watch TV while the rest of us eat."
"Hey, Man. What do you mean pushing in front of me?" Richard growled, giving Wayne a shove.
"Watch it, Bud," Wayne snarled at Richard. "What do you think you're doing? You can wait. I'm making plates for the kids. You want to fight me? I'm ready right now." He put the plate down and turned to face Richard, giving him a sharp jab to the shoulder.
Richard staggered back and hurled his plate of food against the wall. "You can go to hell, Man! I don't have to be a part of this." He turned and rushed out of the house. In seconds, he'd jumped into his car and took off.
The women had been grabbing at the pair and begging them to stop. Maxine's boys were crying, while Rhomas's two sons stood, bug-eyed with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Wayne looked embarrassed and offered a quick apology, before grabbing his jacket and heading for his own car.
Evan's father, who was suffering from emphysema and heart problems, had turned pale and was having obvious problems breathing. Mrs. Shelby went to his aid. "Arthur, are you going to be all right? Let me get your pills. Do we need to get a doctor?" Maxine ran to get water, while Helen stood by nervously wringing her hands.
Rhomas' face was crimson. He kept clenching his hands into fists and releasing them, all the while muttering to himself. "Richard started it. I knew he was going to be trouble from the start. He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."
Tears streamed down Nan's face. "It was just as much Wayne's fault as Richard's," she insisted. "He shouldn't have pushed in front of him."
Shortly after this, our own branch of the family arrived on the scene. "What's wrong?" I asked. "What's happened here?"
Gradually, the story came out. No one had eaten anything. It appeared they had all lost their appetites. Eventually, we did eat, but like the rest of the family, we were shocked. Richard returned much later, but refused to get out of his car. Nan went out to meet him, and soon they departed for home.
Wayne came back after a few hours and apologized again. "I don't know what got into me," he said. "That guy gets under my skin. Something just snapped."
This episode marked the end of occasions when all of the family could be together. From that day on, Maxine's family and Nan's family worked to make sure their paths didn't cross again. One family would be there for Thanksgiving, and the other would come for Christmas.
Personalities clash in the best of families. This wasn't our fight. Evan loved all three of his of his sisters, and all of them were welcome in our home. One thing we've learned over the years is to pick our battles carefully. In this incident, there were no winners, and taking sides wouldn't have made life better for anyone. The two inlaws, were never able to be around each. We adjusted to seeing to their families on alternate occasions.
 Recognized |
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I realize there are a lot of people in this story. Let me know if all the names are too distracting. This took place about 1970.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 
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