What do you do to escape; when you really need to blow up the roost and back out of the blow job? Do you get into your cryogenic decompression chamber, drink a lot of Boone’s Farm wine, and inhale and exhale from a paper bag? Maybe you mow the lawn in your underwear. To each his own! Me? I visit friends or family and share a bevvie or meal for comfort. If I’m having a personal struggle, I might trust them to listen to their pearls of wisdom. Other times we just share a few laughs.
When I was a little kid, I did pretty much the same thing. Things got a little hairy at my house. When I say furry, I mean there was a lot of screaming. This was not the place you would go to mediate a conflict, you know what I mean? I escaped the chaos by hopping on my Schwinn banana seat bike and visiting the many families in our neighborhood.
While on these “freedom rides,” I felt the proverbial wind in my hair and jumped on my feet. Each family had a different nickname for me. The McCrees called me Loretta, at the Tweedles I was Mary Lou, at the Flanagans I heard Maryola, and at the Pittmans they called me Roberta. I had so much fun at other people’s houses! I found a lot of peace in their sanctuaries without screaming (at least that’s what it felt like in my young mind). It was time for dinner and they invited me to stay. This was exceptional! I was able to see how other families “make life”. I was lucky enough to enjoy what they ate and it was always great! Isn’t the food that other people prepare just amazing? I was the beneficiary of some of the best food in Port Arthur, Texas! There was other people’s gumbo, other people’s meatloaf, roast beef, pork chops, chicken fricassee, and many kinds of Cajun-prepared meat; smoked with onions and peppers. My taste buds are now on a slow trip back in time!
Now I’m back.
This eating and eating pattern continues to this day. I have been inspired by the fabulous culinary prowess of each family and now as an adult I love to cook! One of my great joys in life is preparing an extravagant meal for friends and family or happily inviting my son’s friends over for dinner. I am happy to repay the kindness that was gifted to me! I am privileged to have been invited to so many tables. Adults not only taught me what the volumes of cookbooks couldn’t, they gave me the extra nurturing and attention that I longed for.
Whether it’s entertaining friends with a couple of unforgettable dishes, whipping up a quick appetizer, or grabbing my plate for a potluck meal, cooking and sharing meals with others remains my outlet. I just have a more pleasant trip.
