The Gathering

Auntie Gen is wearing the same dress she wore last year, and to the Bennets wedding in September It is beginning to shine with wear Cousin Frieda brought her latest boyfriend He has buck teeth, which is jarring when he laughs at Phil's lousy jokes Never seems to notice he's the only one laughing Twelve kiddies sit at their own table much to the relief of grandma Katie Her little pug farts and everyone pretends not to smell the noxious fumes Dad falls asleep during the game on some sports channel that costs more than my kids dental bills Everyone lays around, almost comatose Someone makes the first move to leave met with false protestations not to go But soon they all drift away, satiated for another year Diets will start tomorrow