The mysterious case of the disappearing peas
When I was small we lived with my grandparents so my mother could take care of them. They were both very active but each had health problems. Having their daughter and three grandchildren in the house kept them lively.
As a child I hated peas. We had peas on a regular basis, straight from the garden. I remember many an afternoon spent shelling peas with my grandmother. Whenever we had peas I had a problem. How to make them disappear from my plate without actually eating them. I remember for at least a year pretending they were pills and putting a few in my mouth then swallowing them whole with a big gulp of water. Effective yes but I always ended up with a major stomach ache. I knew I had to think of something else.
On day as I sat at the kitchen table I found my solution. We had one of the old formica topped tables with the aluminum legs. There was a plastic cap at the bottom of the legs but the tops were open and they were hollow!
My little six year old brain now had a plan! It wasn't long before the dreaded peas appeared for supper. Sneakily, I would take a hand ful of peas and drop them in the top of the table legs. Since there were two tubes on each leg I had eight empty little receptacles waiting. I used my position as the family "baby" to change my seating spot each time those little green nightmares made their appearance. But to the family it seemed I had outgrown my dislike of peas. Ha! Little did they know.
For two years straight I fed the kitty. It's amazing but never once did anyone catch on. No odor no nothing, just a steadily growing secret cache of peas hidden away in the legs of the trusty old table. Eventually my grandparents passed on. My mother began to sink into depression and finally decided a change of scenery was needed. She made plans to move the family to New York among our relatives there.
Moving day arrived. The U-Haul truck sat outside awaiting our belongings. In order to get everything on the truck the decision was made to break down the table. My secret was about to be discovered. Being a normal eight year old I figured the best bet was to make myself scarce. I was hiding in the bedroom among boxes and broken down beds when I heard my mom laughing hysterically.
I carefully tiptoed to the kitchen door and there was my mom with tears rolling down her cheeks and holding her sides laughing. They table was upside down with the legs sticking up in the air and the inverted top was full of two years worth of mummified peas!
When she managed to compose herself she grabbed me and gave me a big hug! She liked the idea of having her own "Pea Houdini" and never missed a chance to tell the story of the disappearing peas!
As a child I hated peas. We had peas on a regular basis, straight from the garden. I remember many an afternoon spent shelling peas with my grandmother. Whenever we had peas I had a problem. How to make them disappear from my plate without actually eating them. I remember for at least a year pretending they were pills and putting a few in my mouth then swallowing them whole with a big gulp of water. Effective yes but I always ended up with a major stomach ache. I knew I had to think of something else.
On day as I sat at the kitchen table I found my solution. We had one of the old formica topped tables with the aluminum legs. There was a plastic cap at the bottom of the legs but the tops were open and they were hollow!
My little six year old brain now had a plan! It wasn't long before the dreaded peas appeared for supper. Sneakily, I would take a hand ful of peas and drop them in the top of the table legs. Since there were two tubes on each leg I had eight empty little receptacles waiting. I used my position as the family "baby" to change my seating spot each time those little green nightmares made their appearance. But to the family it seemed I had outgrown my dislike of peas. Ha! Little did they know.
For two years straight I fed the kitty. It's amazing but never once did anyone catch on. No odor no nothing, just a steadily growing secret cache of peas hidden away in the legs of the trusty old table. Eventually my grandparents passed on. My mother began to sink into depression and finally decided a change of scenery was needed. She made plans to move the family to New York among our relatives there.
Moving day arrived. The U-Haul truck sat outside awaiting our belongings. In order to get everything on the truck the decision was made to break down the table. My secret was about to be discovered. Being a normal eight year old I figured the best bet was to make myself scarce. I was hiding in the bedroom among boxes and broken down beds when I heard my mom laughing hysterically.
I carefully tiptoed to the kitchen door and there was my mom with tears rolling down her cheeks and holding her sides laughing. They table was upside down with the legs sticking up in the air and the inverted top was full of two years worth of mummified peas!
When she managed to compose herself she grabbed me and gave me a big hug! She liked the idea of having her own "Pea Houdini" and never missed a chance to tell the story of the disappearing peas!
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Comments (34)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I actually like them with a touch of lemon pepper. Still not my favorite thing though
Laura Newton9
The Water Filter Lady
That was absolutely hillarious Cheryl! Thank you soo much for sharing. Do you still hate peas? LOL
Abraham Van der Lind...8
Online Entrepreneur
Nice, I must try that next time I have some peas. I like Lemon peper, but haven't tried it on peas before.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
@Abraham I've finally discovered the secret to delicious peas, Lemon pepper! Actually lemon pepper is wonderful on almost any veggie!
Abraham Van der Lind...8
Online Entrepreneur
ROFL. Pea-Houdini. HAHA.
Thanks for the great laugh. I hope you are over your aversion for peas. Personally, I love peas.. I love all kinds of vegies for that matter.
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
Nah, I never use that kind of language with a nice girl. Who knows, she might hide a M-60 in her heel. :)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Yes to be honest I was expecting BUTT-warming!
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
LOL I loved the story. The end is touching when she gives you a hug. Heartwarming.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Eric you made a good point. Actually people eat different things all over the world. I was actually raised on Chitlins and I love them. Now most of you are probably going EEWWW right now. But Hog intestines were eaten all over the world at one point. You were eating them too if you were eating link sausage years ago. Chitlins were used as sausage casings. We just left out the filling part!
The truth is every culture eats something that others will turn their noses up at.
Eric Smith7
Online Professional
Some kids grow up eating deep fried cockroaches, pickled scorpions, and sundried Tarantula's and they don't give it a second thought. Or the most expensive coffee in the world - The coffee beans actually pass through the body of some monkey and are collected from there "leftovers" ;o)
Anything can be harmful if consumed in the wrong way. Honey for example is the worlds oldest sweetener, but thousands die from Bee Sting allergies each year.
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Really some stories I have heard, listened to...sometimes it makes me think twice about what I am going to cook for the next nights meal! LOL!
When I was 2 I ate dried seaweed for my snacks....BLAH BLUFF AND I AM THROWING UP HERE!
I would never make my kids eat that for a snack....but guess what...my mom never made me either!
We can drift off to ever where...the fact of the matter is KIDS ARE AWESOME! And so are we! Everyone of us....was a KID!
:0)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
So much for french fries and ketchup LOL! And here I thought all I had to worry about was the cholesterol. Oh well guess I'll have to take my chances!
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Well, then
I should be dead.
Cause I love POTATOES...and TOMATOES!
I have both with every meal I cook!
Jean DAndrea7
Retired
Hi Eric,
I knew tomatoes and potatoes were from the same family, but didn't know
about deadly nightshade.
Perhaps some of us are more sensitive to whatever is in certain fruits.......
My sister can't eat plums.
Jean
Eric Smith7
Online Professional
Hi Jean,
Tomatoes are from the "Solanum" Genus of plant which also includes the Potato (Solanum Tuberosum) and Deadly Nightshade (Solanum Nigrum).
Deadly nightshade is very poisionous as is the Green (Leaf) part of potato's (Also Potato's that have "gone green" are considered poisinous).
It is quiet possible that the skin on tomatoes (especially on green tomatoes) could well be poisinous.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Wow I opened a can of peas with this blog!
Jean DAndrea7
Retired
Well, I won't eat tomatoes, which cuts out a lot of meals at
restaurants, friends' houses, etc.
Funny, can eat tomato sauce on things, so long as there's
not much - weird.
Chinese herbal medecine, so I'm told, considers the skin and
seeds of tomatoes to be poisonous. They're very acidic too.
Jean
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Well...what is worse than finding a worm in a pea? A half a pea with half a worm! HAHAHAHHAHA
Eric Smith7
Online Professional
Great Blog Cheryl... Luckily, we have wooden legs on our table... Still can't get my son to eat his peas though... My daughter eats enough of them to include his share as well :o)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
At least wormy peas would have given me an excuse not to eat them LOL!