The Family Cookout By Aaliyah

My profile essay is about my family's annual cookout, where we celebrate my great Granddaddy’s life. The cookout takes place in August. Last year it was the end of August and this year the host; my mom, said it was to be held on the sixteenth. Granddaddy used to have cook outs so we’re just extending the now official family tradition. The event typically starts somewhere around one to three. We’re making it a tradition for the Jones family and close friends.

Everyone cooks food, a dish or contributes in some way. The food is usually macaroni, whitening fish, candied yams, a type of cake, jello, a type of green, potato salad, and macaroni salad. Big blue coolers full of ice, water, and drinks. We had soda, water, and jello stored inside the blue boxes. The food was inspired by what we used to put on the grill.

I decorated the banisters and tables according to the color scheme we were going for. We held the event in a nice large park. Most people had a task, such as passing out the food, cooking on the grill, decorating, DJ, photographer, etc. The park has a play park for the kids and my parents rent a bounce house, snow machine, and DJ.

This was one of the events of the year that almost all the family comes together to celebrate. Everyone knew Granddaddy, aside from the kids too little to remember him, though they feel his presence, the love there even if they don’t understand. But the aunts and uncles, moms and dads share cherished stories of him and his legacy, of how he was in the navy, and he always told the funniest jokes. The joyful laughter. Jokes said that makes tears fall from fondness and happiness. The energy and setting reminds us of Granddaddy. Babies have sticky mouths from popsicles and second servings as they sit down listening to the adults.

We played a mix of nineties and older school music that Granddaddy used to play around the house late at night or mid day. Music like “Love Train” and “Family affair” are family classics. I see kids around my age and old play date friends from when I was much younger. My cousins and uncles, aunts, friends, friends of friends all come together. We dance, people line up on the sides, hyping up the people dancing in the middle and we walk down in a line. Everyone has the same energy or matching.

There are large lush fields full of herbs typically called weeds, and the sweet scent of crisp summer air. Flies and mosquitoes are repelled by calendula candles and natural fragrances. Dragon flies are all over the fields but don’t bother us. Everyone catching up, no beef, just love. Family and friends? The line is blurred as we all dance and smile. Laughter fills the air until around seven at night when soft green glows from fireflies. But the group chat is still blowing up until September's cool air settles in the neighborhood.