We’re in a grand foyer. A Beverly Hillbillies  staircase winds up to the house’s second level. Me and a bunch of the other kids are corralled past the Christmas tree, so we won’t have to tip-toe to see the big show. My cousin Mary-Esther the dance teacher steps forward. She’s wearing a red leotard, green skirt and a baby bump. Her hair is in a ballerina bun. “Welcome to the VFW Purple Heart Christmas Party!” Her assistant, my cousin Carl Otto, puts the needle down on a high-