'Coffee With Momma"

There is nothing more special than walking into momma's house, her asking me to I sit down, and have a cup of coffee. It's not every day that she asks me to do this. The reasons being, she usually doesn't drink coffee later in the day and she can't be still long enough to drink it. You may think I am a bit silly but I was thrilled to have this pleasure and felt excited. You see, I know when I am invited to sit with my momma it is going to be a wonderful time of sharing. It is a time when she lets her white hair, my dyed blonde hair down, and throw caution to the wind. She will always be respected as my momma, but when we sip on coffee we become girlfriends.  We no longer recognize our age difference. Our age can be anywhere between 10 and 80, depending on the topic. For example, if momma is talking about some romance book she has read, we are twenty. If it is something about medical issues we are 80.  Sometimes when momma is a bit angry, we are a couple of 10 years old's, rolling on the playground, slugging it out. She ask me questions to things that she say's she doesn't understand, "Phyllis, she says, as she leans forward and takes a sip of coffee, I want to ask you something. What's that momma? She usually ask me questions that she already knows the answer to. It is her way seeing if I will come up with the same answer. It is  somewhat of a test or game we play without it ever being verbalized as such. We laugh, get silly, tell our hearts desire and share our secrets.  Momma is teaching me to take time out of my busy day, forget my age,  do something I wouldn't normally do and to ask my daughters to join me. Forget about our age differences and being their mother. Instead, be a close friend. Laugh and be silly with them. Share secrets and dreams if they so desire. Give them a safe place to be angry and roll in the dirt. 
l hung on momma's every word.  Under my breath I prayed I would never forget them. She spoke  with wisdom that I wouldn't trade for all of the self help books money could ever buy. Her laughter lifted my spirits and drove away the blues. Her love for me goes beyond all reason. 
There we were, talking and sipping, solving the worlds problems and a few of our own. We spoke freely knowing it will be kept safe. 
I knew I didn't  have much time until the coffee in our cups would be gone. The moment faded with every sip. It would soon became a cherished memory. 
Momma took her last sip and said, "Well it's time for me to get up from here and get to doing something. I knew that was my que that I had to do the same. I left with the coffee momma had served warming my belly. The time I spent with momma, well, that warmed my heart. 
Momma, may I have another cup please? But this time make it a grande. 

Chocolate... Please?

When I was a little trick or treater, my four bothers and I went house to house getting a piece of bubble gum here and a sucker there.  I have always had a sweet tooth and was grateful for every gram of sugar I ever got. Suckers and bubble gum were great, but what I really wanted was chocolate.  Chocolate has always been my favorite.  After a night of trick or treating, my brothers and I each had a pillow case full of candy. Even so, we still begged momma and daddy to let us go to just one more house. They gave in as most parents do and we walked up to the final house for that year’s event. I was expecting one or two more pieces of candy to help with my tooth decay. What I wasn’t expecting was the full size Baby Ruth candy bars that they handed to each of us. You talk about putting a smile on my face. I talked about that one for... Well, I still talk about that one.

Our doorbell rang with two trick or treaters.  I gave them each three Crackle candy squares. “Thank you.” They said, as they started down the steps. One called back, “Crackle is my favorite. I love them the most.”  “Come back,” I said motioning them with one hand while holding the bowl of chocolate in the other.  At first they were hesitant, but they then walked slowly back to the door. You can imagine the smile on their face when I divided the entire bowl of chocolate bars into their little pumpkins.  I only thought for a moment about tooth decay when I saw their small teeth that had just pierced their pink gums.  

It is hard to believe, but there are a few things I love better than chocolate. One would be the smile of an innocent child when you empty a bowl of chocolate into their pumpkin. Two is creating a memory for them that I hope will last a life time.  As for me and chocolate, I have two bags still in the pantry and a tooth brush in my bathroom.  

Just Sayin’

Phyllis Westland