Fruit Cocktail

I was a very fortunate child. I think I knew that at the time, but the older I get, the more it sinks in. When I was little, my mom worked two days a week as a nurse in the local hospital. On the days she worked, I usually went to my grandparents' house. It was so convenient for everyone.

Occasionally I would go to the nursery school (old time pre-school for you young things) at the hospital. How great was that? All those years ago the hospital was in tune enough to the needs of working mothers to actually have a nursery school. Of course back then it was more play than anything else and not nearly as academic as it is now. (THAT is a subject for a different post altogether!)

I still distinctly recall the play room, the nap room with all the cribs, the lunch area, and the restroom.

(I'm getting to the fruit cocktail thing; just be patient.)

My best friend Mary lived across the road from us. Her mom also happened to be an RN at the same hospital. As I recall Mary went to nursery school more often than I did, but I could be wrong on that. You know as time goes on, the memory starts to fade a little. And for those of you who read all the installments of Cindi and Ted, A Love Story you may recall that Mary was our maid of honor.

Anyway, it seemed as though when lunchtime came, the same type of fruit was served every day I was there. I don't remember anything else about the lunch, but that we always had fruit cocktail.

Mary and I always ended up sitting together at lunch on days that we were both there. Mary always got a cherry in her fruit cocktail. I never once, NEVER ONCE, had a cherry in my fruit cocktail.

For some obscure reason, this fact will just not leave my memory bank.

As I said, I was a very fortunate child. I was raised in a loving, caring environment. I was taught to honor and respect my elders. I never went without anything I needed. I knew my extended family. How much better does it get?

So why do I still remember not ever getting a cherry in my fruit cocktail as a child??

I suppose it's just another of life's mysteries....