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Recording a Family Story
Do you have a story that your family loves to tell over and over again? Have you thought about how that story will be passed down through the generations? We have a funny story in our family that our girls love to hear. As we have shared this story with them, I realized that this may be a story that they will share someday when they remember me, something that will make them laugh or even their children laugh. But they only have my first-hand account. What about the personal accounts from other family members that were present? What about places, dates, and names? Will those be passed down accurately? As I thought about our funny family story, I realized that I had even forgotten a few details. My husband remembered certain things, my aunt other things. Although I sat down to journal this moment, the other major person in the story, my uncle, has already passed away. What would his account of that moment have been? Why did I not record this account earlier before his passing? We do not have pictures. We only have accounts from family members. That is okay. Scrap it. In journaling the story, I decided to ask my aunt and my husband for their accounts of that funny day. I then created journaling boxes for each person's account including my own. As I said, we do not have any pictures but I decided to take a picture that is relevant to the story. Here is my layout and story:
As told by Patter: What a wonderful visit we all had in Columbus, OH. Before Michael and I left to go back home to Dayton, OH, we went with the family to Bob Evans Restaurant for breakfast after attending church at Maize Manor United Methodist Church. It was wonderful. I ordered one of my favorites with my meal-hash browns. Well, of course, you cannot eat hash browns without ketchup. So, I grabbed the new bottle of ketchup and began to shake it. As I shook to the right, the lid to the bottle flew off, and ketchup went all over Uncle Dan. Not realizing I had lost the lid, as I shook the bottle back towards me, the ketchup then proceeded to end up in my hair, in my eyelashes, on my face, and all over my clothes. I felt like the entire restaurant was staring at us. Gasps could be heard from my family members and the wait staff. Because the ketchup was in my eyes, I had a hard time seeing from this point on. I remember an employee of the restaurant giving me a warm cloth to help me clean up. I assume they did the same for Uncle Dan but I could not see. Once I was all cleaned up, I looked over to see my dear husband finishing the last bite of his meal. He was so embarrassed that he did not offer to help but continued to eat. While our children find this story very funny now, I still wonder if after 17 ½ years of marriage now if he would help or eat! (Written 9/23/2006; Event happened in 1989. As told by Michael: Well, I do not remember much. I remember we went to Bob Evans to eat and you shook ketchup all over yourself. You also hit Uncle Dan and the table behind you. (Written 9/16/2006) As told by Aunt Beth: This is the story of how the family saw red. Several of us family members gathered at a Bob Evans Restaurant in Columbus. It was after church, and we were in our best duds. The table was crowded. The restaurant was crowded. Patter, you were revved up about something and were chattering away excitedly. The server had set several condiments on the table. You reached for the ketchup bottle, and not wanting the ketchup to come out watery, you shook it enthusiastically as you continued your story. If you've studied the laws of gravity and motion, you know that "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" and that "what goes up must come down." Yes, indeed. Ketchup went everywhere. It rained from the heavens. It was on Michael's shirt, on you, on at least one other customer (not a family member), and all over the floor and table. My omelet was splattered. Dan had a touch of red on the end of his nose. Once we realized what happened, we laughed. But not you. You were so embarrassed that tears came to your eyes. Then we felt terrible. The server returned to the table immediately to help, apologizing over and over again because the lid was not secured to the top of the ketchup. It was a year or more before you could actually grin at the situation. Each of us knew it could just as easily have happened to one of us as it did to you. We thought it was hysterical, especially because of the strong, energetic shakes you'd given the bottle. I recall this situation often, especially each time I reach for ketchup. Thanks for the memory! (Written 9/19/2006)
Now, you can see the difference in the personal accounts. This is from people that were present. Imagine how different the story would be if it were just word of mouth through the generations. So, take your family story and scrap it. My next family story to scrap will be "The Elevator Laugh." How about yours?
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