Lunch, With a Purpose...by Gina Waite

Have you ever looked at something and realized it's not what you thought it was?  This picture of my daughter's face completely emulates how I feel when realizing that "THINGS are not always what they APPEAR to be!"  Take for example the time I thought there was a man standing in our vegetable garden in our backyard.  Upon early morning, and the beautiful rising sun, I realized that my son had laid his coat over the top of a shovel.  As the shovel had been pitched in a perfect  vertical position, and the coat having been draped directly over the top of the handle...it looked (in the dark, wee hours of the morning...while my husband was away on a business trip) in perfect proportion to a very short, stocky man!   I was plotting and planning my attack should he move from his stronghold in the garden...little to say, I got very few hours of sleep that night and, it was all for naught!

Which brings me to my thoughts about lunch...with a purpose.  Most often times when your friends or family members tell you they would like to take you to lunch, it's with the purpose of eating and enjoying one another's company...no strings attached.  Little else is expected and most often times the lunch, and the company you enjoy while lunching, are like a Vitamin B shot in the butt and you're on your happy, merry way!  That is, unless the purpose of the lunch is to warm up your lunch mate long enough to release the blow of the true purpose of lunch...at least that's how it was for my brother, and me in 1991.

In 1991, life was awesome!  I was a Senior at Bonneville High School and my brother, a Junior!  I had a great family, lots of fun dating and amazing friends!  I also enjoyed the results of having finished up most of my core classes by my Junior year so I decidedly scheduled a "Party Year" as my Senior Year!   My class schedule included  Drama, BHS Players (musical theater) , Bonnevaires (choir) and Creative Writing.  I did show some responsible behavior by holding down a part-time job at Hogi Yogi (shout out to my homies that either worked or managed me at that great little sandwich/yogurt shop) but to say that I had time to do what my little heart desired was a complete understatement!  The very fact that my parents expected me to have responsibilities at home was a complete insult to my intelligence.  I was determined to have fun and be involved in as many productions as I possibly could...and I did, with very little interruption from home!  The only responsibilities that were entrusted to me at home were to help with dishes and the cleaning of the house..and I did those, with as little effort as I possibly could.  My inattention to cleaning did NOT dovetail well with an amazingly keen, and CLEAN,  Mother!

My Mom was a brilliant woman with eyes that could visibly carry out a white glove test from 20 yards away!  Don't get me wrong...I LOVE that she was an amazing housekeeper!  I remember bringing my friends to the house and NEVER feeling ashamed or embarrassed because there were NEVER any messes!  In fact, I remember one friend remarking that in my house, she loved looking at the vacuum-mark patterns that were ALWAYS visible on the carpet throughout our house!  That being said, my Mom and I had several tête-à-tête in regard to the way I kept my room.  We were expected to make our beds and pick up our rooms before leaving for school each day.  On one particular week, I remember my Mom reminding us several times about our duties to contribute to the household...but it was all in vain!  My brother and I were failing to fulfill our simple obligation to keep our beds made and our rooms tidy!

I was in second hour at Bonneville when I received a note from the school secretary informing me that my Mother would be meeting me at the office to take me to lunch.  Upon arriving at the office, my brother stood there with a similar note and we concluded how wonderful it was that our Mom was so thoughtful!  This is not the first time she had taken us out of school to do enjoyable things with her and it was definitely not the last!  My brother and I stood there with smiles on our faces as our Mother walked in the front door of the High school to pick us up!  I'm positive we both expressed our appreciation for her thoughtfulness as we walked toward the parking lot...then into the car and off to lunch we went!  No sooner had we finished our fried rice and mandarin chicken that our sweet Mother dropped the BOMB!  As we were readying ourselves to go back to our friends, AND all my Party Classes back at school, my Mom broke the news by saying, "Well, now that you have had your lunch we're going back home so that you can make your beds and pick up your rooms!"

My brother and I looked at each other with an incredulous expression, surely my Mom was kidding!  I think we both chuckled to ourselves then turned to look at our her together.  My Mother's expression remained stoic when she said, "I'm serious...you two are going home to make your beds and clean your rooms." Well....I'll be a Monkey's Uncle...I did NOT see that coming!  Quickly look at the picture of my daughter's expression again...pretty sure my Mom got a whole lot of THAT when she announced our indentured servitude!  I think both myself, and my brother, remained quiet the entire trip home and to this day, I still remember how duped I felt in accepting a lunch invitation with the Grande Dame of Deception!  Years later...I laugh and admire my Mom's strength and willingness to teach a very important lesson...to always do what you're asked and contribute what you can to make the environment you're in...BETTER!  

What happened once my Mom took us home, you may ask?  Our beds were made, our rooms picked up and never again did my Mom have to pick us up for lunch with the purpose of cleaning our rooms!  As a result of this experience, I can neither confirm OR deny that a similar slip of paper was recently handed to my Mother's grandson at his High School declaring, "Your Mom will be coming to pick you up for lunch today...Please be waiting for her near the office!"  You may now call me the Grande Dame of Deception!  ;-)