When we were at the circus last Thursday, they took a twenty minute intermission to set up the tiger cage, and a lot of people filed out to use the bathroom, get snacks, and what not. Elijah and I stayed put and I was leaning over, talking to him, my head sort of down. Leaning towards my left, towards the direction the people were coming from. From out of the corner of my eye, I see one of Steve’s first cousins.

When they got closer, they walked right in front of us. I said “hi” and waved to the two boys who are something like age five and three. Then I looked up at his cousin and smiled and said, “hi.”

She looked down at me, gave me this… not even a half of a smile, more like a smirk, and turned away.

When she came back through, I was again looking to the left so this time I didn’t really see her coming at all. But it didn’t matter, she flew through with the boys and didn’t even say a word to me. The second time through she could have stopped and chatted five minutes or longer, even just to say, “hi, how you doing?” I would have asked her about her pregnancy, she’s like hugely pregnant now. But nothing. Not even a smirk that time, just blatant rudeness.

So now I’m left to wonder what’s got her panties in a bunch. She used to be nice to me, I wonder why she’s suddenly such a snob. She was also one of the ones who ignored us at that wedding (well the reception, since they didn’t think it important enough to show up to the actual wedding) in August. Anyone remember that? That was such a stupid mess, Steve and his dad, especially, were just fuming. I haven’t even seen her since November, since Grandma’s birthday luncheon, I don’t think, if she was even there (she may have been working). She was also one of Steve’s best friends in high school – they were in the same grade and such. So now what’s her deal?

As much as it may seem to be the opposite, I’m not really letting it bother me. At the time I was just like, what, the, heck? But now, I guess it’s just further proof of what certain others have been saying all along. We can only figure it’s because we’re not Catholic. Whatever. I guess I’m just blindsided because, like I mentioned before, she didn’t used to be like that. Or maybe I just didn’t notice it before?

One of her brothers and his wife, too. I remember talking to his wife when Elijah was really tiny, at some holiday gathering. She was really nice, but since then, not so much. When I ran into them at the store during Christmas shopping time, I chatted with them but later felt really stupid, like I’d said something extremely dumb. But then I realized that if I’d said anything stupid it was because I was expected to carry conversation alone. It’s not me, it was them.

I guess it might also bother me because I would never dream of treating anyone, especially family, like that. I mean, treat others as you want to be treated, right? The extended family through Steve’s mom is really large, though, and thank goodness they’re not all like that. But if any of them ever wonder why none of us ever come to the Christmas Eve stuff, but visit his grandmother on another day every year… I’d think it should be painfully obvious.