You probably saw this title and thought for sure that I have lost my mind. Well, I guess I kind of have. I woke up the other day determined to write, but I had nothing. No motivation. No will. No inspiration. Usually when that happens, I close my laptop and take a nap. This day I decided to do a little retail therapy so I called up my best friend, and we hit the mall. Well actually, the mall parking lot. I was stuck on the phone trying to fix a glitch with a retailer for my new book and it was going horribly. For days I had been trying to get the problem resolved, only to be shuffled from person to person. After 55 minutes, 3 different people, and zero help, I was ready to combust! I was so angry that I had to put myself in a time out.
So what does this have to do with shoestring fries? After shopping at the mall, we decided to grab a bite to eat. My head felt like it would explode so I needed to eat and take my medicine. We hit the drive-thru at one of my favorite burger joints. While reading the menu, we were greeted by the rudest customer service you can imagine. Naturally, it seemed fitting to repay her rudeness with a little bit of my own, but I talked myself off the ledge. And then I had to talk my best friend off. It wasn’t easy.
When we pulled into the parking lot to eat, we were still enraged by the nerve of this girl! Did she know that I had been on the phone an hour for nothing? Did she have any idea that I was holding back tears of fury and destruction? Nah. Probably not. I decided to give her a pass and just eat my fries. Then out of nowhere a beautiful memory overtook my thoughts. Shoestring fries. When I was young, Mama used to buy shoestring fries. We didn’t have a lot of money so it was her way of treating me to something special. When I ate those fries, it took me back to simpler times. It reached a place in me that I had somehow forgotten. I had forgotten how little things can become big things when your heart is humble. It wasn’t the most expensive snack or meal. She didn’t even buy the name brand. She wasn’t trying to impress me or pretend like we could afford to dine lavishly. She just wanted me to know I was special.
On such a trying day, I had a few minutes of sweet peace and loving memories of Mama. Thank God for shoestring fries.
