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tarigwaemirLife itself is the proper binge
We leave half an hour early to pick her up on Sunday mornings. "Good morning," we say politely as she struggles to open the car door.
"Good morning," she answers with a toothless smile as she settles herself in. "Ah, it's cold today, isn't it? We used to roast sweet potatoes on days like this. You would take them out of the fire and quickly peel off the skin--quickly, quickly because they were too hot to touch--and split them into pieces to share with your brothers and sisters. That was all you had to eat, back in those days, and they tasted all the better for it." A sigh. "My younger brother always liked the ends. He used to say they were the sweetest part of the potatoes."
We nod. "Where is he now?"
"Oh, long gone and buried. He died when he was fourteen, from--what is it called again? Infection, affects the lungs."
"Pneumonia?"
"Yes, pneumonia. I was already engaged to be married. We postponed the marriage for a year because it was a bad omen. I remember taking cosmos flowers to his grave. It was his favorite flower. My favorite too."
"There aren't many here in this country."
"No, there aren't. Didn't seem like a proper autumn without seeing the cosmos bloom. I wonder where they'll bury me when my time comes. There isn't any more land left in the cemetaries...maybe I'll ask to be cremated instead. Have my ashes scattered in the motherland."
"Don't speak of death! You're still so young, grandmother."
She laughs. "When you're my age, death doesn't seem so frightening. These old bones need to rest soon. I've had a long life, it's time to make way for the young. Like my grandson...did you know he just got promoted? He sent me money for new clothes last month. I bought this new suit." She pats her dove-grey jacket and blouse with satisfaction.
"It looks beautiful. You look just like a new bride."
"Oh, don't flatter an old woman so." We all laugh. She stares out the window for a moment, her mouth drooping downward, her eyes squinting at the melting snow on the road. "Yes, I've had a long life. Winter days like these...you start to remember what you thought was long forgotten."
We wait in respectful silence.
She sighs and shifts in her seat. "I miss those sweet potatoes."
"Let's buy some on the way back, grandmother."
END
We leave half an hour early to pick her up on Sunday mornings. "Good morning," we say politely as she struggles to open the car door.
"Good morning," she answers with a toothless smile as she settles herself in. "Ah, it's cold today, isn't it? We used to roast sweet potatoes on days like this. You would take them out of the fire and quickly peel off the skin--quickly, quickly because they were too hot to touch--and split them into pieces to share with your brothers and sisters. That was all you had to eat, back in those days, and they tasted all the better for it." A sigh. "My younger brother always liked the ends. He used to say they were the sweetest part of the potatoes."
We nod. "Where is he now?"
"Oh, long gone and buried. He died when he was fourteen, from--what is it called again? Infection, affects the lungs."
"Pneumonia?"
"Yes, pneumonia. I was already engaged to be married. We postponed the marriage for a year because it was a bad omen. I remember taking cosmos flowers to his grave. It was his favorite flower. My favorite too."
"There aren't many here in this country."
"No, there aren't. Didn't seem like a proper autumn without seeing the cosmos bloom. I wonder where they'll bury me when my time comes. There isn't any more land left in the cemetaries...maybe I'll ask to be cremated instead. Have my ashes scattered in the motherland."
"Don't speak of death! You're still so young, grandmother."
She laughs. "When you're my age, death doesn't seem so frightening. These old bones need to rest soon. I've had a long life, it's time to make way for the young. Like my grandson...did you know he just got promoted? He sent me money for new clothes last month. I bought this new suit." She pats her dove-grey jacket and blouse with satisfaction.
"It looks beautiful. You look just like a new bride."
"Oh, don't flatter an old woman so." We all laugh. She stares out the window for a moment, her mouth drooping downward, her eyes squinting at the melting snow on the road. "Yes, I've had a long life. Winter days like these...you start to remember what you thought was long forgotten."
We wait in respectful silence.
She sighs and shifts in her seat. "I miss those sweet potatoes."
"Let's buy some on the way back, grandmother."
END
