This was the question posed to me over dinner last nite by my friend Darrel. I almost choked. He went on to explain how Black folks are always talking about our cousins “this” and our cousins “that” and how we make people that aren’t even related to us into cousins… But he couldn’t remember any of his white friends or coworkers ever talking about their cousins.
And as bad as it may sound, I couldn’t either…
I know for a fact that White people have aunts and uncles and grandparents. One of my best friends is White and I’ve actually MET and had DINNER with her grandparents (see how dumb that sounds?) But I literally can’t remember a single conversation where we’ve discussed cousins. Maybe all the White folks I know just come from really small families.
Or maybe White people just don’t put their family’s business in the street like Black folks do. ‘Cause usually when I’m talking to one of my Black friends about their cousins, it’s in the context of a ridiculous story I end up having a hard time believing. “Girl, you won’t believe what my trifling-ass cousin did the other day…” Anyway, so I plead for you, White person who reads this blog, to tell me a story about one of your cousins — or better yet, e-mail me a photo of you with one of your cousins. Help disprove this myth. EJ@erinjackson.net