Broccoli thoughts on Easter ....

My mind has gone through many! Easter memories approaching this holiday, but the one that is forefront in my thoughts right now is the broccoli story, and it doesn't even involve this day! ....

You have to understand one of these unwritten but observed! family rules I had in my family of origin, that also applied to me, when I started working:  you NEVER, EVER called anyone when they were at work unless what you had to say involved blood ... an ambulance and/or something w/ sirens ... in today's parlance, I would say 'domestic terrorism' - in other words - something so alarming, so out of the ordinary, something that definitely classified as a real emergency! 

So naturally my father was quite shaken when - during his workday - he was told:  "Your wife is on the phone, Art"! 

I think I was right around 4, 5? when this happened ... my mother had started to prepare dinner and - I hated broccoli.  It was one of the few foods that this fat little foodie kid here, had a temper tantrum about, and - just seeing my mother prepare it - I was already throwing a fit!

I guess it was just a day that I got on my mother's last nerve ;-  She actually called my father at work, described the problem, and said, "Arthur, she likes YOU best!  So by the time YOU drive home, figure out a way to get her to eat it - goodbye!!!

Oh-kay ...

My father, bless his heart, actually did just that!  So here is my Dad story, about broccoli, that happened on just another 'ordinary' weeknight:

He looked at me with great seriousness as we sat down to dinner - "Jean, you like spinach, right?"  I nodded with enthusiasm.  Maybe it was the Popeye cartoons, but I loved it!  Dad nodded and leaned forward, "Do you know what broccoli is?  Broccoli is the brother of spinach!"

My mother was now looking across the table at him like 'he's gone mad, I tell you!'

Dad continued in this serious vein, "So, therefore, if you don't eat his brother, spinach will be mad."

Oh!  I didn't want spinach to be mad, now!

I did, in fact, eat my broccoli!  Never liked it until I discovered pasta salads as an adult, BUT

I always, always remembered Broccoli's Brother

and my beloved Dad <3