Last Supper

I was half listening to a program and the speaker posed a question, “If you could select a last meal, what foods would you choose and what memories do those foods bring up?”

Before he posed the memory part of the question, I was amassing a feast of chocolate ice creme, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, milk for cookie dipping, and other treats.  Once the memory part of the feast was added, I immediately jumped to turkey drumsticks.  I was four years old and eating Thanksgiving dinner with my family.  The drumsticks were my personal portion of the turkey.  I had already eaten one.  Another large drumstick was sitting in solitary splendor on the side table.  I was looking at it with gustatory lust.  My aunt said, “You’ve eaten enough.  You can’t have that drumstick.”  

A contrary little thing, I wasn’t hungry.  I didn’t want to eat any more - I just wanted that drumstick and I didn’t want my aunt to tell me no.  I grabbed it and took a big bite.  I showed her!  Later that night, I got sick and threw up everything I’d eaten.  I was so ashamed of my greed and rebellion.

When asked for memorable food - my first memory always goes back to that turkey leg.  I am still trying to learn to be less contrary and greedy.  I don’t eat turkey legs anymore.