Family (re)union – Part III: Meine Familie

Cont. from Part II: The Wrath of Greyhound

Ain’t no ocean, ain’t no sea. Makidada. Keep my sister away from me.
– Nettie & Celie

When I got to Albany, I was greeted by my father and his girlfriend Renni. I was kind of surprised because my father looked old(er) and I had no idea that Renni was a large white woman. LOL. We hugged, loaded my bag into the car and went for dinner. Good thing too, I was starved. Due to my hectic day and crazy bus trip from Philly to Albany, I hadn’t eaten for 12 hours before I got there. At dinner, my father asks me if I would be willing to go to Ohio. Since my sister and her family couldn’t make it to NY and this was the first time in 20 years she has come to this country, we should just say fuck it and go to where she was. That was fine by me. I had blocked out the entire weekend and wanted to see her. So, early the next morning we got on the road and headed to Akron, OH. 8 hour drive!

The 8 hours did give me a chance to chat with my father. It wasn’t really awkward except for a few moments scattered here and there, but that’s to be expected. Whenever my father was out of earshot, Renni would tell me things about him like how he was nervous the night before about seeing my sister and I. I thought that was kind of funny. There was a weird moment for me in the car when my father said that the reason I lived with my grandmother/mom was because he thought I was happy there and it was where I was in school and all that jazz. I guess I get that, but it still doesn’t account for not coming through to visit and shit, feel me? I honestly don’t know how I feel about all of that. I don’t think I’m bitter about it, I just thought that his reasoning was pretty simple.

Right as we pulled into Akron, I got nervous. I thought I was wearing the wrong clothes and started wondering if she’d like me. I also started wondering why the hell they were in Akron, which sucks for all intents and purposes. Her brother Kevin lives there and they came to see his new baby. The new baby whose name is LaDanian. The new baby who is white as hell. I laughed for a good while about that and it helped ease my nerves.

Family (re)union – Part II: The wrath of Greyhound

So many folks have been asking me about meeting my sister and seeing my father again. I don’t want to have to tell the story too many times, so I’m just going to direct folks to my blog. They ought to be reading it anyway!

Before I went, I wasn’t really feeling any type of way. People asked if I was nervous or excited. I was neither. I just kind of wanted to go with the flow. I had never met the chick, you know, so it’s not like I had been living my life with this expectation that we would be best friends. I have my sister on my mom’s side who is 9 years younger than me, so I’ve mostly felt like an only child anyway. Right before we met I did get nervous though. Before I get too far ahead of myself, let me start from the beginning of this crazy trip. Starting with this post and then the next, Part III.

family (re)union

I’m going to meet my sister whom I have never met before. If I recall correctly, she’s around 19-21 years old. She lives in Germany and has lived there her whole life. My dad was in the Army, see.

Anyway, she’s coming to America for the first time. We’re meeting up in NYC. I’m also going to see my father whom I haven’t seen in 5 years or so.

I don’t really have any big expectations. I expect a lil awkwardness, that’s it. I’m going into it pretty openly. It’s a fresh slate with my sister. My father and I have only started talking again last Xmas after years of being out of touch. I’m not on that resentment tip, so like I said, going into it openly. I’m sure it’ll be fun. I’ll def be following up here.

Have you ever had to reconnect or connect with family?