The Plural of Aunt

I just don't get it when people have personal phone conversations in public, especially where I can hear all of it. One of the worst places to do that is in your doctor's office waiting room. Last Thursday I went for my follow up visit to the dermatologist. The waiting room was moderately full so I took a chair next to a non-threatening older lady. They're usually quiet and don't bother you too much. A few minutes into the wait, a middle aged woman came into the waiting room and sat down two seats away from me. She was blabbing away on her phone through a blue tooth she had in her ear. May I just say that even though those things have been around for quite awhile, I still think people are talking to themselves. Anyway, I picked up on the conversation as she sat down.

"I think it would be nice to have at least a memorial at the grave site...."

I could see her lip curl and knew tears were just a moment away. I hate seeing other people cry because it usually triggers the water works in my eyes. I have no control over it, I just start watering up. Sure enough, she started to sob. When she recovered from her sorrow over whoever died, she had this to say.

"You know he loved his auntses. I think we should invite the auntses if we have a graveside memorial...."

Again, her eyes started to water up. But what the hell, auntses? I never heard that before. I don't think that is a Chicago thing. I grew up knowing the correct plural of aunts, and of uncles. What blew my mind even more was when she was through with that call, she called somebody else and went through the same routine all over again. The idea of a graveside memorial, the choking up and crying as if on cue, and then she said it again, auntses. Aunts-es, like that. Although, by the third call, after she went through all that shit, she did start laughing. But it was not the laugh of a normal person. I mean, who sobs one moment, says auntses, then starts laughing? Like I said, I don't get this thing about personal phone conversations in public. Especially in front of me.