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COOK-ing with Cousins

                                                 I met up with COOK family who were descendants of Louis Cook, born abt. 1830 in Missouri, (we think), and Mary Bryant, born abt. 1835 in Mississippi. Louis and Mary had a few children. Their son Henry Cook and wife Martha Abercrombie Johnson spawned a few children, and it was from those children that my cousin Karen's backyard filled.
                                                 Walking into her back yard, I shook hands with the first men who greeted me. I went back to my car and grabbed my contribution to the festivities. When I ambled back into the yard, I had a folding chair in my left hand, my purse AND computer bag hanging from my right shoulder, and a 24 Pack box of Big Red Cola balanced atop my right shoulder. A couple of men scrambled towards me to help, but I was already in full stride..HANDLING it. I yelled out, "I got it! Thanks! I'm a COOK!!"...and they yelled back, "Aha ha! Yeah, you ARE, alright, and got a good grip, too!"
                                                  After I sat down to get my breath and bearings, I pinned on a makeshift name tag over my heart. I then rose from my chair to begin mingling. The first group I joined were the men whose hands I first shook. I pointed to my father's picture on my makeshift name tag, and said "This is my father Willie B. Cook, and he's the source of the strength you felt in my handshake." One of them said, "He taught you how to shake, that's good." I popped back, "No, that would be my mother's mother, Ernestine!" We laughed after that, and I explained the photo of my father pinned over my heart.

                                                Willie Bernard Cook, 1932-1973 Houston, Texas

                                       
                                               When my cousins saw this photo hanging from my chest, they had much to say about my sister and I looking like him. My father was called "Billy", and my sisters and I sang the song "Wooly Bully" back in 1965, alternating "Willie Billy" (pretending the song was about our dad),as we sang. One of my sisters was named after him. Daddy also named his son after him when he remarried. I have the distinction of having siblings who share our father's
name. I DIG that!
                                                 I had a great time talking with my 4th cousins, and THEIR grandchildren
were running around, playing card and checkers. I guess that means I was with my 6th cousins also. Whew! Well, I didn't cook anything to bring. A couple Frenchy's Chicken Family Boxes was my ace in the hole. Not ALL COOK folk cook, but I was COOK-ing with cousins yesterday....and I DUG that.

Comments

  1. KarenOctober 6, 2013 at 6:21 PM

    This is a wonderful creative process Cecelia! Well written...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cecelia CookOctober 7, 2013 at 1:29 PM

      Thanks Karen, I WILL be seeing you again. Enjoyed you :)

      Delete
  2. True LewisOctober 6, 2013 at 9:07 PM

    Just like you to Cecelia! Loved this piece!

    ReplyDelete

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