The other day having coffee with a friend I denied myself a pastry from the shop's lovely pastry case and later wondered what kind of person would deny her desire for a pastry when she really wanted one. I decided that was unhealthy. And it awoke in me a desire to live that moment over and choose differently, which gave me the bug for something gooey and sweet. . . So I drove seven miles into town and in the gas-mart's most forbidden aisles where I never go, I in my purple parka shopped among packaged creations spun up from high-fructose corn syrup, white flour, partially hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors -- treats that no Pharaoh or Chinese warlord, no matter how wealthy, ever saw or tasted or imagined. Because I am sensible I allowed only one item. It came down to brown-sugar pop-tarts or Hostess Snowballs, their coconut tops dyed pink for, I think, Valentine's Day. How very festive. I contained myself until I brought them home, and at 4:30 p.m., very civilized, I set them on a plate and had on the side a cup of rice milk in my Kansas State University mug. I think that on one of my birthdays, back in my salad days ("when I was green in judgement") I bought Snowballs and stuck a birthday candle in one. Or maybe I dreamt that. Or it was someone else's birthday. Anyway, please be seated and share this rare and beautiful moment with me.
2 comments:
Are you from Kansas or perhaps attended school there? I spent part of my childhood growing up in Topeka, my Mom's hometown, and I consider Kansas City home after spending many years there. My Mom is still in Topeka. I had cousins that went to K-State. Sometimes I think the only wardrobe they own is K-State purple gear. Way back when on road trips, I used to pick up those pink snowballs. I always loved the color. Curious if you are from Kansas, did you find the transition to being a full-time Missourian easy or hard?
Victoria, I am from Wisconsin but I do have great friends from the Topeka, Dodge City and Kansas City. One of them brought me that prized coffee mug. I lived in St. Louis city when I first moved here and began to love Missouri the farther away from the city I got. Missouri has plains, hills, mountains, ethnic enclaves, 19th-century towns, just about everything, so nobody from elsewhere ever has to be homesick.
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