My great nephew Wyatt had his third birthday party at American Pie Pizzeria in Thomaston, GA. I sat at the head of the third table my extensive family filled. To my right sat mother, across from her was my nephew with his son, the birthday boy, and down the table sat another nephew, a great nephew, two nieces, and my sister. After the many meat and cheese covered pizzas where finished a special treat for the great nephews was delivered. These where the Thomaston famous butter balls I had heard only stories of. A grotesque sight to me, they consisted of pizza dough fried in the shape of a ball then soaked and finally sauced in melted butter, the dozen was quickly divided between the three and ten year old. This division did not hold to any idea of fairness but was to prevent the fights known to happen if one child received fewer than the other. I then watched as the three year old hopefully smeared more butter on his face than went in his mouth. The child then quietly dozed on his father's shoulder, a towel quickly placed to avoid grease stains on his Quad Graphics work shirt, while I stealthily slipped notes to my mother condemning the act.
I figure I am going to take it the one sentence at a time method, though I find this tidbit of memory adorable.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I like the idea of generations of family. I don't really have any great-anything in my family, so the idea of family at a distance seems unfamiliar and interesting, especially when one considers the connotations of family as familial closeness, bounded by blood.
There's always a possibility of addressing one as the head of the table--a place of authority. How have you established this authority in your family? I think this could tie in with what seems like a sort of grouping thing happening at the end, as you past notes to your mom, therefore alienating as well as condemning the others.
If the Thomaston balls are so famous, how come you've never seen them? Just something that I think would, in a story, need a brief sentence of elaboration.
I love the idea of using butter balls to quell the kids. That is just great, expand on that. As well as this sort of mock intimacy with the butter-ball smeared children and the dad, who has to put a napkin between him and child.