The Thing About Family

The thing about family, is the fact no matter how crazy they are, you love them. That love is tested all the time; this is the story of how my little cousins not only tested my love, but (almost) changed my opinion on gum. 

Before we start, you must know I love gum. When I’m not sleeping or eating, I’m chewing gum. There is something about it that calms me down and focuses me. Not once have I ever questioned my love of gum…until February break 2014. 

My February breaks are crazy, half the week my dad’s family is in town and the other half my mom’s family is. I love them all dearly, but wow it gets crazy. 

I have cousins on both sides of family; I am the oldest overall. This story focuses on my cousin’s from my mom’s side of the family. They are younger than me by four and six years. I love them intensely (despite being the designated babysitter on family vacations!), but wow do I forget what it is like to be arounds kids that age.

My own siblings and I are all within a three year age range and there was never one of us who was young compared to the others. My cousins on the other hand, are very, very young.

They are young and crazy (yet somehow lovable) and did the nearly impossible: made me question my love of gum. 

It all starts one night after a long day skiing. The kids are watching a painfully G movie while the adults chat and drink. Luckily, we hit pause and go down for desert (only to come back up and finish the movie). 

The movie eventually ends and we are all heading to out rooms as my brother says “Shaun! What’s on your butt!”

I ignore him, because he’s a twelve year old boy and I don’t need that humor in my life. I only checked because my mom backed him up (thank god!). Then, I saw it! It was awful; it was a bright pink wad of Hubba Bubba Gum. 

(image source: yimg)

You know the kind I’m talking about, the obnoxiously bright pink kind that feels and tastes chalked after about five minutes. The thing is, the only thing worse than chewing that gum, is having all over your clothes. 

Not only was it all over my clothes, my mom found it on the couch. Which should have been impossible because I was sitting on a blanket and there was no gum on it. However, the biggest mystery of the situation, was “whose gum was it?” My parent’s knew my siblings and I only chewed mint, so it was clear it was my cousins. My youngest cousin admitted to chewing gum, but she said it was four hours ago and swore she put it in a tissue. Queue eye rolling. 

It took nearly an hour and way too many chemicals to get the gum off my clothes and the couch. Then, right as we were “finished”, my sister pointed out something. There it was! Gum, sticky, gross gum, all over my hip. On my actual skin. I don't think I have ever wanted to throw a tantrum more than in that moment.

Insert loud screaming and a eight year old bursting into tears. It took forever to get the gum of my hip, soap just was not working. My hip was bright red from all the scrubbing. Finally, everything was clean and the upstairs only slightly smelled like chemicals. 

The night was over.

 

I’m not sure if the worst part of that night was the fact my cousin did not apologize, or the fact it took me entire week before I could look at gum without feeling angry and grossed out. 

I learned, that family was crazy (insensitive!) but you love them anyways. I also learned how to not throw a tantrum larger than an eight year olds.

Lots of Love, 

Shaun