Homesick
Every night there would be huge slices of tomato, the size of hubcaps on the table. I would eat mine salted, if I felt crazy with pepper. My sister (HEATHEN) always covered hers in sugar. My mom would slice up two bowls of cucumber, one plain and one in vinegar (for my dad, another HEATHEN)--these were to be eaten right out of the bowl. At least they never made it to my plate or into my salad. Radishes went with everything. Again my dad ate them with vinegar (what was WRONG WITH HIM).
Being from Iowa we also had corn on the cob, which just doesn't taste right here. It is too sweet and too mealy. And watermelon. The watermelons would be huge and so red and sweet on the inside.
We would go to my grandparents' house, they had a garden, large enough to feed them all year. Out here they call that a farm, but they called it a garden. My grandfather's corn was the best I ever tasted. And I have never had anything better than one of his tomatoes. And you can keep your raspberry shortcake, I like my berries right off the bush. I don't even like them to hit a bowl.
But it is the tomatoes and cucumbers I want this time of year. It makes me feel at home.
Of course, J is from California. His grandmother had fruit trees in her yard and an orchard down the street. His go-to foods are oranges and plums.
Its funny what makes you feel at home. And what makes you home sick.
I wouldn't live in Iowa for a million dollars (ok maybe I would, is that a million a year?). But I miss those smells. And my family eating those foods.
Nothing grows here but apples. I guess my kids will feel this way about apples and salmon. It doesn't feel the same. But I suppose it will to them.
