Me: Of you and your siblings, who was the most obedient?
Tita: Everyone.
Me: Uh, really?
Sister 1: We were all obedient.
Sister 2: *eye roll* oh please. {Sister 3} lied to Mom and would skip school! SHE was the most disobedient!
Sister 1: Hmm, yeah, okay, you’re right. Well, {brother 1} lied to mom, too, actually.
Tita: …I don’t remember any of that.
What I Notice –
How convenient that the three siblings at the table were obedient, huh? Just kidding! I’m interested in how age and perspective and experience affect memory.
What I Wonder –
If all the siblings were in the same room, how would the responses be different?
Context –
My grandmother (Tita) turned 90 about a week ago, and I would like to begin formally interviewing her to collect the stories of her nine decades of life. I was lucky that two of her siblings are in town, so I was able to informally ask some questions which started off with the snippet above (I was cracking up at the back and forth!).
What should I ask next??
Abuelas at the Kitchen Table
britt escribe 
What a special conversation to witness! Is your grandmother the oldest of her siblings? (I’m assuming so…) I love that your grandmother was so kind, and then was challenged by her sister(s) in the way she recalled their childhood. So very dear. My parents and grandparents are deceased – I wish I’d asked lots of nosy questions – “tell me about falling in love, who/when …” I wish I had their stories. Best wishes with this!
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What a great opportunity you have to learn family history. It would be interesting to hear all the different perspectives of the same story.
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What should you ask next? I’d ask about something she remembers doing every day – or something she remembers a sibling or a parent doing every day. I LOVE this idea! I wish I’d thought of it when I was younger!
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First, what a snippet! 🙂 And what a great idea! I’d love to hear more snippets of conversations as you listen to the stories of your Grandmother! ❤
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