Brief Encounters Make My Day

We have a local store called Ocean State Job Lots. Yesterday morning I mentioned to hubby that I was going to pay them a visit and he volunteered to go along. A sweet guy. We were wanting to do a pre-shop for the upcoming Veteran’s Day event. For three days they’re honoring vets with a 30% discount and I’m all about discounts. My guy is a vet. As we meandered through the store we met an older (yeah, even older than us) woman of our acquaintance. She had a container of ginger in her hand. “I use it in my soups,” she said. “Takes the gas out.”

My eyes popped wide. “Really?”

“Yup, I put about a tablespoon in my batches of soup.”

“Thanks for the tip,” I said. I didn’t even mention that certain soups – split pea, bean and bacon – do a number on my aging digestive system. I’m sure glad we ran into Ida.

Later that day we got a call from eldest son – could we get Anna off the bus? Sure. Hubby went and got her and brought her back to the house. I had fresh cookies. I keep them in an ancient Tupperware pie taker and if that thing is sitting on the kitchen table it’s a siren call for the grandkids. Okay, the husband and big kids, too. They all know I’ve been baking when they see it. This time it was chocolate chip, oatmeal, raisin and walnut cookies. Anna grabbed a few and went to watch television.

I came in and suggested we build a fire as the room was chilly. When we that got going and were all warmed up she asked if we could do something besides watch TV. I immediately felt like a lousy grandmother for viewing three episodes of Fairly Odd Parents with her.

“Sure,” I said, quickly uncurling from my comfy recliner. “What should we do?”

“Dance class,” she said with a mile wide grin.

Oh, great. She actually takes dance classes and whereas, once upon a time I could dance like Tinkerbell of late it’s more like a crippled hippopotamus. Please don’t let that mental image haunt you all day.

But Anna was persistent. She went slowly and gave able demonstrations. And soon, right there in front of the roaring fire, we were putting on a pretty good show. I mastered “jazz hands” in no time and even got in some decent hip action. She’s a good teacher and I felt I’d earned my supper. Spontaneous dancing will do that, even if you’re a hippopotamus.

Then this morning we were called on again. Anna needed someone to stay with her until the school bus came. Her dad had an early appointment. So I went – no makeup, hair all ratty, but I went. Between bites of her bagel and cream cheese she told me they were off school on Monday.

“Yup,” I said, “Columbus Day. Do you know who Columbus was?”

Anna gave me an arched eyebrow. “Yeah, he’s some guy who sailed across the ocean or something.”

I guess she doesn’t know the poem and song I learned when I was her age. So I enlightened her to the best of my ability. I mentioned King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. The Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa Maria also figured into my lesson but by the time we’d gotten to Florida she was all worried about the Indians (who were already here – I KNOW that) and we let the matter drop because the bus was only five minutes away.

Brief encounters like these are the bright spots in our days. I love them, look for them and I sincerely hope you have them, too. Oh - and if you want to know more about jazz hands, gas-less soups, or the reasons why kids get days off school, let me know. 

Image: Free Digital Photos