The Punch Bowl
My parents were married in 1951. About 25 years later my Mom was giving a combination Valentines/Birthday Party for my sister who was born in February. We were expecting the entire family over. Everything was decorated in Red and White. My mom was busy in the kitchen preparing all the goodies and my sister and the Silver Poodle were helping her… actually the poodle was just giving attitude and being a poodle. I was in no mood to help out so I was watching TV in the living room which had a clear view into the kitchen. This was my puberty lazy period; It was the mid 1970’s and I must have been in my early teens. So I watched with one eye on the TV, Brady Bunch, and the other on my mom as she pulled out of the cupboard her crystal Antique punch bowl that was given to her and my dad on their wedding day. It was one of those special heirlooms that she treasured and was especially careful with when using. The bowl was one of those family treasures you hope you are not around when it meets its final demise because if you broke it, it would be your final demise. Anyway, she put it on top of the stove to fill it with punch for she did not want to splash any red punch on the white table cloth she had laid down on the dinner table. I then watched her gently carry this HUGE bowl of red punch, did I say RED PUNCH, over to the table which was only about 5 feet away. As she was in mid stride we all heard a loud cracking sound and in complete heart stopping horror watched as the bowl split up and around and down the middle then come crashing through my moms arms, down on to the floor missing her toes by inches. As I ran into help, I watched as if in slow motion, the gallons of red punch go every where! My moms dress which was white with blue poked dots was now blood red with purple poked dots, the floor, ceiling, my sister and the dog were covered in red punch. Did I mention our poodle was silver? Well not any more. Have you ever seen a red wet pissed off poodle? Trust me not a sight you want to see again. The splash literally covered the entire kitchen! Did I mention it was a white kitchen? My poor mom was dripping with red punch from every orifice of her being when just then my Grandparents arrived at the door! Looking back we were just thankful my mom still had her toes and never again did I see her bare foot in the kitchen.
No comments:
Post a Comment