It was Christmas evening in 2015, three years since our family had been together (due to a family disagreement). My uncle Dave hosted dinner this year and he has a sleek smokehouse Traeger grill (that can smoke anything you can think of) so the excitement of pigging out was real and we were ready to eat.

We arrived in Watertown as our family gingerly starred at one another. No one wanted to say the first word, but then slowly a soft voice turned into a loud laughter. It took no time to get back into our family routine as we began playing board games. First, we played  card games. Then we made up our own funky game that resembled a paper and crafts assignment from third grade, but I could not concentrate because of the aroma coming from the kitchen. The smells were sweet and spicy causing me to become hungry.

The meal was smoked brisket, and my eyes and nose focused on that brisket. I forgot we were even playing games, but my little cousin David, bragged about being the winner.  However, my mind focused on the brisket and the brisket only.

It was time for dinner, holding hands with the family saying Grace. Uncle Dave put the darkened brisket in the middle of the table and I looked at it like it was the love of my life. He cut the meat in little thin paper pieces and I snatched eight of them. I ate one slowly as I let it melt in my mouth. Family reunions are chaotic, but food reunions are memorable.