"You Can't Take It With You"

Yesterday we had a family get-together. Our family is very good at this and will frequently use any old excuse available just so we can be together. The purpose as near as I can figure is chaos, fun and food. Last night there were 28 of us and that was not even the whole family by any means. But...enough for a good bit of frivolity. As things gained momentum the small children concocted a play to put on for everyone. Costumes, props, announcer(s) aplenty and all.

It went something like this: Noisy, rambunctious children traipsing back and forth through the living room at all-too-frequent intervals where the adults and teens were seated doing that which they do best - conversation and hilarity - to pronounce the start of the play in 5 minutes, then 4 minutes, then 3 minutes, then 2 minutes, 1 minute, 45 seconds, 30 seconds. A cleverly designed scheme to heighten our anticipation. There were heard occasional screams, chatter and giggling 'backstage' while we waited. Meanwhile one of the smallest children was entertaining us with a large yellow 'bouncy ball' to the delight of himself and all of the adults. Peals of hysterical laughter with the family parakeet squawking loudly in the background. The play began. The children had put together some fitting entertainment for all to enjoy. They were pleased with themselves! We were highly entertained...

#2 son mentioned that when he and his siblings would put on a show in the olden days there were not so many in the audience. Well, duh! It was just 'us' in those days...unless the missionaries were over. They were always suckers for an impromptu play. I reminded him that the family has literally exploded in the past couple of decades.



All of the aforementioned goings-on brought to mind an old movie I've seen that I personally find enormously entertaining, about a similarly zany and eccentric family, called "You Can't Take It With You". [Youtube movie clip was removed due to copyright infringement]