12/17 Stories Harry

"Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled" (Q. Horace)

1. (Who tells the stories)

My dad and my grandparents (mother's side). My dad's side of the family has an interesting variety of personalities leading to some interesting, unique stories. On the other hand, my grandmother has a very close relationship with her neighborhood and people around her while my grandfather enjoys many forms of satire including dry, pun-related, and intellectual: together or independent, their stories can be very vivid.

2. (When/Where are they told)

Stories tend to be told during holidays where my family gathers: Christmas, but more so Thanksgiving. Other times might be during dinner if everyone is present; our stories tend to be humorous or mocking (told jokingly), and gatherings are the best places to elicit laughs.

3. (A quick story)

Merely a quick story about my great-grandfather's stubbornness with a mite of humor.

As a present for my great-grandpa, my dad and grandpa planned to buy him some rollerblades; my great-grandfather loved to ice skate. Unfortunately, you simply cannot ice-skate year round in New England. Rollerblades had seemed appropriate as a present, so that he could do what he enjoyed to do year round. So, on his birthday he was given the present, and saw the skates. Quite pleased, he began to try them out. However, despite being a proficient ice-skater... my great-grandpa had no talent for rollerblading at all: he fell down immediately and got hurt (not badly, but enough for a cast). Rather embarrassed, he had to wear a cast for a month. It can be noted that this was much to his dismay; my great-grandpa hated being crippled, no matter how minor the handicap. At last it was time for the doctor to take the cast off, however the doctor planned on charging a fee for the removal of the cast. My grandpa hated, even more that being injured, unnecessarily paying for services he felt he could do himself: much to the doctor's dismay, he left the hospital immediately. Once home, he proceeded to take a rather sharp knife, and cut off the cast. 

While rather simple, this story illustrates how much of my family can be stubborn, doing what they would like instead of a 'safer' choice, myself included. Although we do not tell too many stories, I think they are important and integral because being able to laugh connects people; telling jokes, funny stories effectively unites my family. They are told to bring about laughter and happiness, and are retold for those same reasons. Even if it never repeated, once is enough to bring everyone closer together (even if only a little bit).