Meet the Parents − 25 November, 1993
I knew Hannah was "the one."
In Babylon 5 terms, that would mean time travel ;-)
Actually, in a way, it was. In some ways it seems like we've always been together. Almost 4 months in to our relationship, we knew this was going to be permanent.
Time to meet the parents.
Now, I'm posting a picture from this event -- Thanksgiving, 1993. This is when Hannah met my parents, Bunnie and Martha McCosar. Two things in the photo tell you we're in Hannah's apartment -- the Burundi flag on the wall (her country from Peace Corps), and the bookshelf. Both of us love books, and even now, we have three or four walls full of them.
Whenever I talk about my family, or about Hannah, people always ask if my parents were "okay" with our being together. The racial divide runs deep in this country, and in some ways, when I hear that question, it's one of the saddest pieces of evidence I have that this country, in fact, is not "okay."
Look at the picture. My Mom is white; my Dad is Creek Indian. They were a "mixed" couple before Helen and Tom Willis even looked each other's way.
That makes me "biracial." For whatever genetic reasons, I didn't quite get a balanced color -- I'm often mistaken for just another white guy. In the end, it's not really my problem; I know who I am.
So, no, my parents had absolutely no problem. They have always loved and accepted Hannah as one of their own.
[Aside: long ago, I adapted a joke from Carol Leifer as my own. When people ask, I say, "Yes, I'm in a mixed marriage. My wife is human and I'm a Klingon."]
That first meeting, though, was a bit stressful -- not on us, but on poor Hannah.
You should understand that I am the primary cook in the family. Hannah can cook, but prefers not to; in our household, I'm a vegetarian, and my wife classifies herself as a "scavenger" (she'll eat whatever I make).
Well, we were meeting my parents at Thanksgiving -- they came down to Gainesville. And what's traditional in the U.S. about Thanksgiving? Turkey.
Oops.
There was no way I was up for the challenge. So Hannah tried her best to make a Thanksgiving turkey, and, well . . . .
Let's just say my parents earned her respect for all time by actually eating it ;-)
In Babylon 5 terms, that would mean time travel ;-)
Actually, in a way, it was. In some ways it seems like we've always been together. Almost 4 months in to our relationship, we knew this was going to be permanent.
Time to meet the parents.
Now, I'm posting a picture from this event -- Thanksgiving, 1993. This is when Hannah met my parents, Bunnie and Martha McCosar. Two things in the photo tell you we're in Hannah's apartment -- the Burundi flag on the wall (her country from Peace Corps), and the bookshelf. Both of us love books, and even now, we have three or four walls full of them.
Whenever I talk about my family, or about Hannah, people always ask if my parents were "okay" with our being together. The racial divide runs deep in this country, and in some ways, when I hear that question, it's one of the saddest pieces of evidence I have that this country, in fact, is not "okay."
Look at the picture. My Mom is white; my Dad is Creek Indian. They were a "mixed" couple before Helen and Tom Willis even looked each other's way.
That makes me "biracial." For whatever genetic reasons, I didn't quite get a balanced color -- I'm often mistaken for just another white guy. In the end, it's not really my problem; I know who I am.
So, no, my parents had absolutely no problem. They have always loved and accepted Hannah as one of their own.
[Aside: long ago, I adapted a joke from Carol Leifer as my own. When people ask, I say, "Yes, I'm in a mixed marriage. My wife is human and I'm a Klingon."]
That first meeting, though, was a bit stressful -- not on us, but on poor Hannah.
You should understand that I am the primary cook in the family. Hannah can cook, but prefers not to; in our household, I'm a vegetarian, and my wife classifies herself as a "scavenger" (she'll eat whatever I make).
Well, we were meeting my parents at Thanksgiving -- they came down to Gainesville. And what's traditional in the U.S. about Thanksgiving? Turkey.
Oops.
There was no way I was up for the challenge. So Hannah tried her best to make a Thanksgiving turkey, and, well . . . .
Let's just say my parents earned her respect for all time by actually eating it ;-)
tgiv1993_500
Comments:
edunn (June 2, 2007. 02:51am)
What a sweet meeting. Do you have tofuturkey now a days?
bmccosar (June 2, 2007. 11:19am)
Actually, in 2006, Hannah and I cooperated and made a very good turkey (or so I am told). In the years before that, we ordered it from a Deli, but going out on T-day to get it was generally annoying.
CrystallineTulip (June 4, 2007. 08:11am)
I'm with you on your thoughts of a mixed marriage. My hubby is Mexican and I'm so white, I can probably glow in the dark. He complains because everyone ALWAYS sees him as just another white guy - with a good tan (he gets compliments all the time!). I tell him that he doesn't need to worry about it, and I remind him to try to not make other people's problems our problems. I adore him, my family loves him...in turn for his family hating me and my family because of our skin color. Oh well. What can you do other than live and let live?