Cousin

My little cousin J is working in Texas. This is a recent change and this is her first job. I’m happy because she is doing something that is good for her. I’m also sad because she has moved even further away.

The number one best reason for having a cousin is because both of you has someone to talk to about your parents. The last time I saw her, just over a year ago, I told her about when her dad first came to Canada. I was in grade one or two, and his job was to walk me to school and to pick me up afterwards. I remember one time at the end of the day, I came out of school looking for him and . . . he wasn’t around. I remember not knowing what to do, so I started walking home by myself. I didn’t live far away, only a few blocks, but when you’re that young and that short, a few blocks can feel like a very long distance. About halfway home my uncle came running up from behind me completely out of breath. Good thing for him. My mom would’ve killed him.

J. laughed out loud. Yes, that sounds exactly like my dad, she said.

This happened many years ago in the late ‘80’s when J was about 10 or 11 years old. I may have some of it wrong, but this is what’s in my memory. My uncle’s Toronto business had recently failed and he was trying to start up something new in New York. It would be a couple of years yet before they moved permanently, but there was period when both my uncle and aunt were traveling a lot back and forth from here to there. One day they were both away and her brother was somewhere else too (I can’t remember where) so somehow J got left behind. She phoned my mom because she was at home by herself, was hungry and had no food.

Of course my mom completely flipped out and even to this day, my dad holds this against my uncle. I went to go get her and when I drove up, J. was already waiting for me, standing behind the front screen door watching out through the window.

This is my favourite memory of J.

I adore my little cousin.