February 21, 2017

“Hey, stay here and get the lunch meat. I’m gonna grab some chicken,” I said to my youngest then turned to walk away.

“Do they have good chicken here?” she asked.

Her question stopped me in my tracks. “I don’t know. If they don’t, I won’t get any.”

Leaving her at the deli counter I headed towards the refrigerated meat section. As I passed the prepared foods the sliver of a logo captured the corner of my eye. Turning my head to the left, there they were, perched at eye level—a whole row of Toast ‘Em Pastries.

I bounded towards the shelving and planted myself in front of the row of pastries. With hands on my hips I stood there blocking the aisle; a huge grin spread across my face. Somewhere in the far recesses of my mind I heard my grandmother clear as a bell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You kids ready for breakfast?” Memaw called from the farmhouse kitchen.

Sliding into a chair at the table I asked, “Memaw, do you have any Pop Tarts?”

“You don’t want any bacon and eggs?”

“Nope, just a Pop Tart.”

“I have these uh, toaster thingy’s,” she replied as she opened a cabinet and pointed to a box.

“Can we toast them?” I questioned.

“Go ahead,” she responded as she turned off the gas stove and moved the skillet to the back burner.

I walked to the counter and looked at the box. The picture on the front sort of looked like a Pop Tarts box. I grabbed the box, pulled out a foiled pouch, popped the dual tarts into the toaster then waited for them to pop up.

“What are you kids gonna do today?” she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I dunno. Play. Go fishin’. Walk over to Grandpa’s old house.”

The toaster popped up. I grabbed the two tarts and chomped down on one. It had a slightly different taste than Pop Tarts, the brand we normally ate at our house, but they filled the void in my stomach.

As Memaw cleaned up the kitchen and set to work on lunch, we kids headed outdoors to play.

Two steps before we reached the back door Memaw’s voice cut through the air, “You kids don’t let that back door slam!”

“Yes ma’am,” we said as we gingerly opened the screened door, bolted down the steps, and forgot about the door until it slammed shut.

“I thought I told you kids not to let the door slam!”

“Sorry, Memaw!” we yelled in unison then did our best to stifle our giggles.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I grabbed my phone, snapped a picture of the row of Toast ‘Em pastries, headed towards the poultry, and scanned the options. “Think I’ll pass on the chicken,” I muttered.

Heading back towards the deli counter I paused again in front of the rows of Toast ‘Em pastries.

Oh, to go back in time and relive those moments at the farm. If I could, I’d slam the screened door on purpose then savor every syllable of Memaw’s voice as it cut through the air.

What glimpse of an item has stopped you in your tracks and prompted a moment of reflection? Join the conversation and share your story.

***This post is dedicated to my memaw. After all these years I still miss her like crazy!

** Photo Credits: Title photo backdrop is compliments of Pixabay.com; Toast ‘Em photo is mine.