Let’s see what we did yesterday. Tried to see The Wizard of Oz and fell asleep. Walked the dog at least five times, she’s getting old. He reached up for the Kosher salt so I could fill the salt bowl for seasoning and sugar dispenser for measuring. Then after “last chance walk” for Zoe, he dumped the ice machine’s container so we could have fresh ice.
Exciting things. I also watered herbs and flowers and hydrated my guitar. This week means a trip to storage because the city shut off our water last week and we have a hurricane kit that includes three six-gallon hard plastic vessels one can fill in a tub and use. I could only find two and lent one to a neighbor with an infant. They’re empty now and must go back.
Did I say anything about a first date? I had just turned sixteen. He was eighteen. For years my family had joked about my first date arriving in a red pickup truck. He did. He was the cutest guy at school. My father placed his bifocals low on his nose and looked at my date. My parents chose the movie we were to see from the newspaper. We left at 7:30 for an 8:00 movie, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a Scorsese film starring Ellen Burstyn as Alice.
The movie ended after 9:30 and I needed to be home by ten. What did my date do? There had been horrific snowstorms and icy roads so he did 360’s on Main Street. It scared me to death. He took me home and kissed me once. He took me out again for an elegant dinner. I ordered salmon…. steak and did not know the cut or how to get the bones out. I was out of my comfort zone in so many ways, just say no. I did. Oh, I did get the gist of the salmon.
My parents, God rest their souls, always said that bad things happened after 11 p.m. I had to be home before then, thank goodness.
I went to cooking school many years later, and earlier, learned how to make supremes of a salmon steak and serve them as a little heart. Him? He had the head cheerleader on spring break in Florida. Two years. Then after my Freshman year in college he showed up at my door.
I loved his parents and he’s been married to and probably cheating on a friend of my little sister’s, for years. I am happily married and just wanted to share a story. They didn’t call Dad “old eagle eyes” for nothing. He could put the fear of God into a date, but loved my husband of nearly 15 years the first time they met. It is good that I love both of them as well. Rest in Peace, Dad, and thanks for everything, Dee
Cooking with Dee 