Reconstruction of the Legacy

Chapter 12: An Eye Out For The Snake

July 24th, 2004

Big Mama
These chilen need to come on. Mama just got out of the pen. I want her to see what I've done with Legacy. I want her to see my children's children. I have three children: Rose, Gerald, and Amanda. Rose has 8 kids: Aisha, Meisha, Jayla, Kayla, Montrell, Jakell, Tyler, and Nicholas. For Rose's birthright she ran the Legacy until she gave it to her eldest daughter Jayla in 2000. The Legacy is running smoothly. Finally my children have arrived. Rose comes over and kisses my cheek.

"Ma where you want me to put the drinks?"

"Just set them inside the coolers. Make sure you put the alcoholic beverages up we wouldn't want the kids to get them."

"Yes ma'am will do."

Next my daughter Amanda kisses my cheek and asks

"Mama where you want me to put all this meat at and charcoal at?"

"Put them in the house in the fridge for now while we wait on your big headed brother."

"Yes ma'am."

I feel my flip phone buzzing. I see Jayla calling me.

"Hello."

"Grandma I'm at the store with my sisters and brothers. What do you need us to get? Orlando no you ain't getting that."

"Don't do my great gran baby like that. Let him get it."

"See grandma you got him spoiled. Gon get it."

"I'll tell you what I'll tell you everything we need and y'all can decide who gets what."

"Okay."

"You got a pencil and paper ready?"

"Uhhh yeah. I'm ready what's the list."

"We need napkins, paper plates cause y'all not finna have me in the kitchen washing all them dishes, plastic eating utensils, table cloths, sweets that all of us can enjoy, kool-aid, water, little hug fruit barrels, barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, mustard, ketchup, mayo, cheese, meat and I think I got everything else."

"Alright people granny gave me the list this what we getting so let's go!"

"Alright love see y'all when y'all get here."

"Bye grandma."

"Bye baby."

I close my flip phone and turn to my house. It's time to set up and prep everything. I go in the house and pull out the huge bowl of potato salad. I then start whipping up a seasoning for the ribs. I finish and start seasoning the ribs, chicken, smoke sausage, steak, and hamburger patties. After I finish I set it all in a big pan. My son just walked in the kitchen.

"Hey old lady."

"Old lady? You best to watch that mouth of yours. Now come here and gimme my kiss. You came just in time."

"I already fired up the pit. This the meat?"

"Yup. Already seasoned and waiting to get on the pit."

"Alright. Mama it smells good in here."

"It's suppose to that's how you know it's finna be good."

I walk over to the oven and open it to check on my cakes. Looks like they're ready.

"Gerald pass me my oven mitts."

"Here you go mama."

I take each one of them out carefully and flip them on parchment paper.