What’s the most embarrassing thing a relative has done in public that you witnessed?

Oy vey!

My late uncle – may he rest in peace – was a complete cheapskate. He had money – not super wealthy, but definitely upper middle class.

We went to a nice restaurant for dinner – five of us plus him. This was probably 1990 or so. The bill for all of us was something in the neighborhood of $120, dinner, bottles of wine, etc. Service was good, not super, but not bad.

He picked up the tab, but left a $5 bill on the table. Chintzy. Miserly. My cousin Jacob, who was the son of this uncle, also saw this. On the way out the door, Jake made an excuse to go back to the table and left a $20 bill as well.

Both of us were embarrassed at the miserliness of my uncle (his dad).

My Mom embarrassed me so many times it’s hard to pick just one. I guess one of the worst was when, at a busy service restaurant, she went right up to a big guy and pointed out the design shaved into his hair and said, “Jan, look at this.”

Not a relative—but a close friend who was like a sister to me. She had a friend (Scott) who was with us who is mentally challenged, but not very—its hard to tell unless you are with him a lot as my friend and I are.

Anyhow, we were walking down the street during the Cooper Young street festival, and there was a vendor who was selling these little statues or figurines of African American banjo players.

Scott yelled out, laughing and high-pitched—“Look at all the little black guys!”

(the crowd was about 55% African American btw).

My wife’s brother has his picture in the “people of Walmart” website.

Gawd there are so many incidences within our family in particular one sister who creates problems especially in delicate matters such as our late mother’s funeral.

After 12 years of Guardianship court battles mostly between the oldest male sibling vs the

oldest female sibling ( a fight over dominance ?), which dragged the rest of us in court as well to pick sides?

One sibling the one that seems to invite arguments goes out of her way to center herself in

the middle of a room like at my older sisters family get together just after arriving back from

the Cemetery from the official ceremonies and place my mother to rest in peace.

Feelings were agitated enough as it was since my mothers death was sudden and unexpected.

Anyways the troubled sister had her feelings hurt probably by my brother in law as they were

chatting it up until she suddenly got up from the sofa and standing in the center of the

Livingroom with everyone seated around her she blurts out some stupid/childish comment

saying of all things ..” I am the dominant twin I was born first”!

It caught everyone off guard and some were in disbelief and wondering Whhhaaaat?

For years we never knew our exact birth times nor who was born first but at least ten minutes apart.

This bothered her for years???

My guess is that is the only thing that she clings to for recognition/fame?

I am her twin and I know her well enough to recognize her pattern of behavior that is

combative and “showy” .

I at first said nothing and she continued with same comments.

Finally I stood up and calmly stated to her ” well it seem that you had to dig far back in time to find something to be proud about, what ten minutes difference, who cares”?

The whole group started to take their leave and to make it worse she stated to me directly that I won’t get a ride back to the motel as promised by her and her husband.
I answered that is Ok my son and I will take a Cab”.

She then takes it on herself to arrange( control) us a ride by telling, not asking my brother in law to give us a ride”( bossy)?

I cut her off then as She was playing parent I guess?

I told her that I and my son WILL DECIDE how to get back on our own, and that we don’t

need her to intervene.

What an embarrassing episode at a most sensitive moment for all of us and I noticed others

starting to get their aggravation up or silly things as well.

1. My oldest daughter started to publicly demean her husband who ignored her.( she later

divorced him as he had cheated on her for 16 years and was found out).So I assume she knew at that time and decided to bring that out?

2. My older sister wanted to count the cups and saucers ( inherited from my late mother and taken by her unbeknownst to everyone until then) Gawd she was upset since she could not find one of the 21 sets? But found it later on the carpet beside the sofa?

3. The toddler decided to wet his diaper though onto the white expensive carpet of which is my older sisters Grandchild? She was upset that her expensive rug was peed on ( but cleaned up ).

4. The same toddler was upset and ran into the bedroom and grabbed the overflowing curtain ( bottom portion ) too hard and tried to walk away while it got entangled and thus ripped the whole curtain and rod off the wall!

5. A huge man came forward and asked my older sister if he could leave NOW?
He was HIRED (????) as a bouncer in case my two brothers showed up to confront my greedy sister who made herself the sole inheritor of our late mothers estate?

6. My youngest adult daughters who stays away from everyone would not sit in the same room as me her mother..( her problem) and caused a ruckus about some squabble she had with me when she was age 13 yrs old???? ( at that age she was out of control and was sneaking out with a 17 year old of which I put a stop too>

7. To top all of this chaos my older sister witnessing that everyone is leaving early tried to

ram sandwiches down our throats since she spent $200 for a caterer to supply this for all of

us who really were not hungry to begin with. Her goal was to get more to eat at least one

sandwich of which she can get credit and $ back for expenses.

It continued with so much more idiotic behavior that it is too long to tell you, but you get the idea.

Hence, that is why I don’t get in touch with certain relatives.

Have it all written down and one day will publish it.

I can laugh at it now thinking on the above scenario. Gawde!