My Tanta Belle...

 

MY TANTA BELLE MEETS SOMEONE’S TANTA MIRIAM AT THE SUPERMARKET

 

So she said come up and visit some time, my Tanta Belle told me in our nightly
phone call. We were standing in the produce aisle looking into each other’s

carts; she said when this woman asked. What gives? You never visit anymore

and you used to visit me all the time. Are you too busy or just too busy with new friends

for old friends and how come you have leeks? What do you do with leeks? I thought they

gave you gas she says to me.

I’m not too busy I told her and would love to visit you and the leeks are for my neighbor.

I’ve never eaten leeks. She makes leek pancakes and I’m looking forward to trying them

but I don’t remember any gas problem. So I asked this woman for her address and she

laughed and said, See it’s been so long you can’t remember my address. Next you’ll tell

me that you can’t remember my name. Won’t that be a hoot?

To tell you the truth, I told her, taking a pen and envelope out of my purse, please write

down your phone number so I don’t forget again and while you’re at it add your name

too. Then this woman whom I’ve never seen before hands me a piece of paper and says,

Here, you write down your name and number, and call me and tell me how the leek pancakes were.