Many years ago, somewhere in the early 90’s, I had a conversation with my mother. This was, of course, a daily occurrence, even several times a day, no matter where I was. This kept me current and her as well, and assuaged my ever present guilt for having left her alone in Baltimore (with all her family) and gone off to the big city in 1978.
She was working on going to her niece’s house, my cousin Marge, and was helping with the festivities by supplying crudities for the party.
Now I must admit that although I knew what crudities were, it never the less amused me to find my mother spouting French words where simple English would do, and I questioned what she was making. As she described the celery, peppers and carrot sticks I realized that she was trying very hard to do exactly what Marge had told her to do. When my mother asked what size the crudities should be, my cousin, in all innocence said, “About three inches should do nicely” or something like that.
My mother took this as a sacrament, and moved forward. She cut out a 3” template of cardboard, and she was sizing up all of her celery, peppers and carrots just so. Nothing should be out of place because she was making it for Marge.
I love Marge, as I do most of my family, and I know she would have been horrified if she really believed that a simple request, or answer to a question, would have been perceived as gospel, but it was.
So whatever that party was those many years ago, be assured that the carrots and celery were straight and 3” long!
She was working on going to her niece’s house, my cousin Marge, and was helping with the festivities by supplying crudities for the party.
Now I must admit that although I knew what crudities were, it never the less amused me to find my mother spouting French words where simple English would do, and I questioned what she was making. As she described the celery, peppers and carrot sticks I realized that she was trying very hard to do exactly what Marge had told her to do. When my mother asked what size the crudities should be, my cousin, in all innocence said, “About three inches should do nicely” or something like that.
My mother took this as a sacrament, and moved forward. She cut out a 3” template of cardboard, and she was sizing up all of her celery, peppers and carrots just so. Nothing should be out of place because she was making it for Marge.
I love Marge, as I do most of my family, and I know she would have been horrified if she really believed that a simple request, or answer to a question, would have been perceived as gospel, but it was.
So whatever that party was those many years ago, be assured that the carrots and celery were straight and 3” long!
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