the why of strawberries

Why strawberries...

Strawberries are a delicious nutritious treat, but they tend to bring out this side of myself that I don't like very much. That hoarding, large portion, I must eat them all right now, part. I don't need to be that way anymore because my main Strawberry Eating Competitor(my daughter Angela) is now on her own. Yet, I still found the biggest juiciest vine ripened one in the bunch and devoured it in my car before pulling away from the roadside stand. I know there is nothing unusual about nibbling on your fruit before you even get it home to be washed, but for me it's the satisfaction that I just consumed the First and Best One in the bunch, ha ha!

This year with my daughter gone strawberries suddenly became...well...I guess, just strawberries. And to be honest, I didn't get that surge of satisfaction that usually accompanies the eating of that first strawberry of the year. I actually found them to be rather ordinary and they left teeny tiny little seeds between my teeth. A huge mound of them is now taking up a lot of space in my refrigerator and I fear that most of them will probably rot before I can even consume them. Yes, the power of the strawberry has been reduced to the excitement of a loaf of bread.

I am going to visit my daughter this week and planned to stop by our favorite strawberry stand on my way out. "Oh, she'll be so extremely thrilled when she sees them!" I thought. "I will hand her the most beautiful flat of the biggest beautiful strawberries I can find, listen to her joyful squeals and the clapping of her hands." I was beginning to feel the smallest return of their allure, when the phone rang...

"Hello?" I said, answering the phone.
"Hi honey, it's me" said my husband.
"So, have you left for the city(S.F.) to have dinner with our daughter?" I asked.
"Yes" he replied, "I just left the Strawberry Stand and I'm on my way now."
"What?!...you're bringing her strawberries?!" I sputtered. "But you don't even EAT strawberries!" I whined
"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked very confused.
I sighed, "Oh...nothing."

So, I guess strawberries are going to have to be exciting all by themselves, no more competitions and no race to eat the most. I have to come up with a new ritual that involves plucking the BEST of the bunch so, all hail to the strawberry that I think is the best, of the rest, of the berries, that is. Next time, I'll buy some Champagne with my 1/2flat.