My dear sweet grandson Michael was making his way to the kitchen for something to eat. He emerged from the kitchen with a banana..
"Hey, did mommy say you could have one?" I gave him a playful stern look.
He replied hesitantly "...No"
"But do you know what Grandma thinks?"
"...No. What does grandma think?" he looked up at me with an adorable confused face.
"Grandma thinks that banana's make little boys big and strong. I think you should have the banana but I want you to save some room in that belly for dinner." I smiled and gave him the banana he was waiting for and kissed him on the cheek as he walked to the table.
A few seconds after, Dianna walked into the kitchen with an upset frown upon her face.
"Ma?! Why did you give Micheal the banana?" She turned back to him and demanded that he put down the banana and wait for dinner.
I stood up straight and shook my hands "Oh, Dianna! You need to lighten up. He could be eating sugary junk but instead he has a banana. Fruit! Fruit is healthy correct?"
"Yes Ma, but he's not going to eat dinner if he eats it. He'll be too full." She argued.
"Okay, Dianna. I'm sorry. Here..." I turned to Michael
"Sweet Angel, You know what would make Grandma happy?"
Michael understood. He put down the fruit and apologized to his mom and went back into the living room.
Diana waited until Michael was out of listening range to hear what she had to say.
"Ma, You're here for two days and you're already turning my house upside down."
This didn't hurt, it actually made me happy. Hearing Dianna's over dramatic demeanor brought back wonderful memories of my youth.
"I'm sorry dear but, you will have to deal with me for the next two weeks, and then I'll be back in California and it would be like I never came." I smiled sweetly.
"ugh, So when are all the others going to be here?"
I explained that they will be here in about thirty minutes. As Dianna started setting up the dinner table, the doorbell rang.
"Hold on, I'm coming!" I shouted.
And at the door was a familiar face. A face that I grew up with. A face that I missed,
"OH MY GOD. LOOK AT YOU. YOU LOOK AMAZING" She yelled while pulling me into a hug.
"Hey, Tina" I whispered embracing her in a big hug.
After everyone came and ate dinner, it was story time. The time after dinner where we exchange good memories and stories. Being 60, its hard for me to remember anything from my young days without little nostalgic things. Tina was telling a story about how she kissed Kenny Forsmith in sophomore year of high school. I have a faint memory of her telling me about that years ago. Tina turned to me and said:
"I know you have some good stories in that head of yours. Stories about this town and the people you know and people you've seen."
This is so very true... But I couldn't think of any of them.
Story time ended with Dianna and her husband, Nicholas, Taking plates away to the sink. I helped clean up and Hugged everyone goodbye.
I couldn't sleep because all I could think about is the fact that I couldn't remember. And then it hit me! 'What if I were to walk around town. That would be bound to jog back my memories.'
I decided to make this little thought into a reality, Early that fall evening, I told Dianna that I was going to be gone the whole day, kissed Michael goodbye, and walked straight out the door to find what I've been searching for for years.