Back then it was torture 

Driving 45 minutes on a Sunday after church 

In tight dress clothes 

And the sun was a scorcher 

So was seeing family – no one would say it but everyone knows 

I was with my mother and father and older brother 

Venturing to see my father’s parents 

My aunt and older cousins would be there too 

I felt a bit smothered 

Sometimes there’d be my cousin’s cool boyfriend 

(They didn’t work out in the end)

It was a lovely gated retirement community 

We gathered in the bright sun room 

We all shared a last name but I didn’t really feel a sense of unity 

I remember seeing all the other grandparents and well-dressed kids 

My father would give a perfunctory wave 

I didn’t realize it then (at age 10) but that place was the last stop before the grave 

Maybe that’s why the brunch was so good

I’d go back for seconds and thirds 

My grandfather used to say, “She’s eating like a growing girl should”

Mmm, the roasted potatoes and bacon, poached eggs, fruit 

It’s a shame people had to eat in tight suits

My cousin would talk of her medical training 

Me, of how I’d been waiting – for summer vacation

I tuned out half the time – in my own ruminating 

My brother dreamt of skating 

I’d gaze out the big ceiling-to-floor windows

Stare at the man-made pond and at the pines beyond 

I wondered what my grandparents did the other six days of the week

I’d tune back in to hear them speak 

My grandmother didn’t say much

Bridge, reading club, tennis, the pool

For me, the worst thing was after brunch 

The grown-ups decided to have coffee 

My brother whispered to me an alternative offering 

To sneak away under the chandeliers 

I was all ears
The adults were glued to their seats like lizards on a hot rock

Turns out my brother wasn’t just talk 

We found our way outside in the blazing sun 

He told me not to worry, that it’d be fun 

He knew there were a million minnows in the ponds 

Fish and the occasional lizard too 

He said his science teacher had told him so 

I had to see for myself, so gave it a go

We hovered in our best attire over the bright reservoir 

A fountain jutted out from the center like a bursting star 

My brother wanted to catch a critter 

Go figure 

He stripped down to his boxers, took off his tie 

I rolled up my long dress 

And we both waded out into the pond 

Into nature’s nest 

My brother said, “It’s squishy out here”

I giggled and trembled a little with fear 

Weeds and slime wrapped around our ankles 

My face sweated as he waded out 

And then suddenly I heard my brother shout 

“What?!!” I yelled

But his scream couldn’t be quelled 

He turned toward me 

Horror and pain on his face  

“I stepped on a rattlesnake!”

I was frozen in that hot sun, trembling

Till he threw a handful of minnows and sludge at me, giggling 

My heart was relieved 

I scooped up a salamander that went by 

Along with some weeds 

We each put a few critters in our pockets 

We put ourselves back together on the bank

While the adults still sat inside and drank 

Turns out my cousin, though, had followed us out 

She was ready to intervene if need be

I think she kept a first aid kit in her giant purse 

We went back inside but it felt like a curse 

My mother was displeased – she saw we were sweaty 

And we smelled like a pond 

The adults finally wrapped up 

And my grandmother finally said, “Come on”

We all ventured to my grandparents’ house 

Their next door neighbors were out 

We saw my brother’s science teacher 

And our preacher from church!

Turns out they were brothers 

And their parents were my grandparents’ neighbors 

There was a girl in the cul-de-sac who shared her bike with me 

My mother begged, “Change your clothes first, please”

So me and my brother did 

My mother lathered us in sun block 

Our entire family went for a walk 

To the community pool 

My mom had actually brought our bathing suits –  it was so cool!

Maybe that’s why the adults took so long to drink their coffee

It was so all the brunch could digest 

At least, that’s what I guessed

And the reason my brother had collected all those critters from the pond?

Turns out he let ‘em all lose in the deep section of the pool, just beneath the diving board 

It was to eradicate all the other kids 

That glistening pool was his to hoard 

We both giggled when he released a floating, plastic water moccasin 

All the kids screamed when they saw it 

My cousin helped coax one girl out of a panic attack 

I felt a little bad about that 

But then me and my brother floated with the minnows and salamanders in their new oasis 

I realize looking back that my parents and grandparents were so gracious 

Now that I’ve grown up and my grandparents are gone 

I wonder if my parents are next to take over the retirement community’s pristine lawn

As a child grows in my own womb 

And we all grow – old

I sometimes consider tombs 

But I like to focus on the pranks she’ll employ 

And I look back at the days with my family with joy

I know now as an adult it’s good to take a long time drinking coffee 

And to not let the threat of snakes in the pond stop me 

The older I get, the more to everyone I feel a sense of unity