Yeah, that sounds like a white cookout. Below is how the shyt really goes down from what ive seen.
1. Half the people show up bringing nothing, especially if someone in their immediate family is known for cooking.
2. Beer and liquor is divvied up in cliques and often someone has the beer in a cooler in their trunk. If you arent cool with the person who brought the shyt then most likely you arent getting any.
3. If the cookout is supposed to start at noon then the food wont be ready till 3. The grill wont even be lit at noon.
4. Kids are everywhere. They come around for food and drink, other than that you will see kids periodically, but it wont be your kid.
5. People will bring who they damn well please. Saying something WILL start a fight over something that happened two weeks ago.
6. Food is not community property. Everybody knows who brought what. If i brought the fish then when it comes time to eat i better get some fish or it will be a problem. And if there is food in the dish when im ready to leave then the food leaves with me. The tupperware/dish will not be left behind because if so nobody will know what happened to it when i ask about it.
7. Since the food will be late you really dont have to worry about this.
8. People leave when either A. they are full/food is gone, B. an argument is about to start, C. its dark AND the mosquitos are coming out
9. An empty chair is an empty chair unless it belongs to big momma.
10. RSVP? Most of the people there didnt even know there was a cookout until the day before!
11. You wont get enough alcohol to get drunk unless you are a drunk, brought it yourself, and have been taking pulls from the trunk. In which case everyone already knows you are a drunk.
12. Unless someone you know is introducing you to someone else then dont try and get at anyone. Thats an easy fight.