those warm family get togethers

On the holidays we all feel this sort of obligation to get together with the family even if we only see them once a year, even if we can't really stand them. It is what families are supposed to do. It is what we have been brought up to do.

We are supposed to tolerate perverted Uncle Ralph on Thanksgiving or your drunk nephew Bob. The rest of the year, you wouldn't have anything to do with them, but on Thanksgiving you feel a little warm spot in your heart for them, they are family after all....

So it all starts well, the relatives arrive one by one to a festively decorated home. Hugs and kisses all around. Refreshments are offered. Everyone settles down to catch up on who has been arrested, whose teenage daughter is pregnant, who died.

Then you run out of conversation. Some people have had a few cocktails. They start getting louder. Grandma looks annoyed. Son starts getting mad at Dad. Son pops dad in the mouth and they wrestle on the floor. Obnoxious Uncle Ralph says the wrong thing and gets popped in the eye by nephew. The warm family get togethers breaks up as various family members retire to lick their wounds, vowing they will never get together with these fools again.

Dad heads to the ER where it is discovered son has broken his jaw. He is sent home with instructions to only drink liquids till he sees an oral surgeon tomorrow. Drunk Uncle Ralph has an orbital fracture. I love the holidays....