Sunday, October 3, 2010

Friends

I grew up with parents who were resourceful in making ends meet. I didn't see us as being poor because they made sure that we had what we needed, but not always what we wanted.

I used to be envious of my classmates who's mom's packed their lunch pails with what my mom always exclaimed as "expensive". Sometimes, it wasn't that the cereal was expensive as much as it was "filled with sugar". Other times, my mom wanted us to eat a balanced lunch and not just fill up on "junk". That meant, fruit, a sandwich and chips and a the dreaded scooter pie.



My sister and I were in the same class in elementary school and we played together and made other friends to join our "club" (because, there was always a boys chase the girls club or best friends club, etc.) The new girl, Angela was so shy and quiet that she was often passed by or sat by herself at lunchtime. The lunch pails would open and of course the kids would yell, "I'll trade you!" They never wanted to trade with my twin sister and I. We always had the same old boring scooter pies (whoopie pies as some call them) or sugar cookies which I hated but ate just because. This particular day, Angela pulled out her lunch and she had the most delicious looking oatmeal cookies. Now, call it the cookies or just the desire to make a new friend, my sister and I decided to be her friend. We moved our lunch pails over to where she sat. We made small talk but enough to figure out that Angela was pretty nice, even though she was shy. We began having lunch with Angela every day until one day, Angela said the words that every kid wanted to hear. She said, "Twins, you can have these cookies if you want them." We looked at each other and then at what we had to trade. She read our thoughts and said, "Oh, you don't have to trade. You can have them, since you're so nice to me."

We were in second grade when we became friends with Angela. She didn't stay at the school for very long but yet, it was enough for us to find a new friend. I have to admit that every time I see a Mother's Old Fashioned Oatmeal cookie, I often think of her.

Do you have childhood memories that have stuck with you?

24 comments:

Terra said...

This is a sweet "cookie friend" story.

Mari said...

What a great memory! We didn't have scooter pies and we didn't trade things from our lunches. How boring!
It shows that you are your sister were pretty sweet even back then.

Brian Miller said...

love it...yeah i got quite a few...i try to capture them as they come...and you just stirred another...

Menopausal New Mom said...

That is soooo sweet. What a nice memory to have. I had a boyfriend in grade one, Michael F, I used to sit beside him on the bus every day. I have no idea whatever happened to him buy he sure made the bus ride fun :)

Buckeroomama said...

That's really sweet. :) Childhood memories? A whole treasure trove! I like digging into it and pulling some out and sharing with J & Z once in a while. They find it fascinating that I was once a kid like them! :)

Petula said...

Love this story/memory. There are certain foods that elicit some childhood memories for me as well.

Freely Living Life said...

Never heard of Scooter Pies! =0)

Cute post!

{{hugs}}

Anonymous said...

I LOVE Whoopie Pies! OMG I love love love them!!!

Cute story!

Anonymous said...

Aww, how cute! Glad you guys made a real friend, even if you were just eyeing her cookies at first. *lol* We used to call them moon pies and my mother would only buy one box around the holidays - banana flavored. I never traded lunch items (even the wrapped ones) because I've always had germaphobe tendencies. LMAO!

Liz Mays said...

I've never had a scooter pie but I have to say it looks delicious!

My mom never let us take cold lunch and it's all I ever wanted! We had to eat hot lunch all through elementary and middle school. Bitter? You bet!

Unknown said...

I've never had those, either, but I bet they're delicious!

I had a friend and her mom would pack 3 peppermints in her lunch every day. She ate one herself and then picked 2 friends to give the other peppermints to. I always loved it when she picked me.

So sweet!

Together We Save said...

Sweet memories!!

Erin MacPherson said...

This is so funny because I would've been the girl who had homemade oatmeal raising cookies and I would've DIED for a Scooter Pie. My mom wouldn't let me have them...but boy, if someone would've traded me, I would've nabbed it in a sec.

Lin said...

We never got good things in our lunch either. In fact, I distinctly remember not having any lunch at all for middle school years. I think my mom thought we were taking change for hot lunch when we weren't. It's kinda sad when I think about it. Well, and mad at my mom for doing that!! I'll take your story over mine any day.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Angela sounds like a special friend and I am sure that you both made her very happy. (Nothing comes to mind right now.)

Veronica Lee said...

I love your childhood stories, Simone.

We never brought lunch to school - we always bought our food from the school canteen something almost all Malaysian kids do. It isn't 'cool' when you're seen with a lunchbox! The food in the canteen is very cheap anyway!

Joanna Jenkins said...

Hi Simone, That's a terrific memory.

I don't think I have memories as far back as the 2nd grade but you've got me thinking and trying to remember that long ago.

Hope you're doing good!
xo jj

Anonymous said...

In first grade the other kids dared me to jump off the roof of the one story concrete block building...desperate to have a friend, I did it. The teacher woke me up by shaking my arms and I spent the rest of the day with my swollen legs up on a milk crate. I came home on the bus, nearly unable to step down and cross the street. I never did tell anyone what I had done, and my mother never figured out what happened OR questioned the teacher.

Now? WHATTA LAW SUIT!!

The Old White Barn said...

I love this story! You and I are on the same page this week with sweet childhood memories - thanks for sharing yours!
Susan

Unknown said...

This is a sweet story. I love having a twin. We share a lot of memories from childhood. I'll have to call her up and reflect on some!

Deidra said...

Do I have memories?!?! Oh boy!

Lunch for me was a pb&j, an apple and carrot sticks. No dessert. I'd have been envious of those scooter pies!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

Such a sweet story, Mom woke us up to that small town radio station. We heard The Statler Brothers?

Ash said...

what a sweet memory - i can tell that you and your twin were very nice and still are. :)

those scooter pies sure look yummy! :)

KC said...

I have one. I remember for some reason, being in the "cafetorium" when I was a little girl in elementary school, and feeling cold. I must have been in third or fourth grade. At any rate, I remember how this little boy in my class, his name was Larry, offered me his little Member's Only jacket to keep me warm when I said that I was cold!

Even as a little kid I was touched, but thinking back, I'm like, "Awwwwwwww!"

Your blog is fantastic, by the way. I'm a long-time lurker, first time commenter!

 

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