Banana Sandwiches Part 2

When I was about nine or ten I recall my daddy bringing home complete strangers for lunch on a hot July day. Back then though we didn't call it lunch, it was called dinner...go figure!

On that particular day daddy had stopped by Ed Smith's country store for his daily little coca cola. Tired and weary, some of towners needing refreshment on their way to see their son stationed at Cherry Point, stopped by.

During the conversation daddy learned that they were from Iowa. You might say he was a little suspicious... asked a few questions. He does have a little bit of the Barney Fife syndrome, but started to warm up to the folks. Of course there was lots of talk about their crops, and the crops grown around home not to mention they were very curious to see tobacco curing in a barn.

Being the southern gentleman that he was and still is, daddy invited the folks to our house to see our crops, and tobacco curing in the barn. When they arrived, he invited them in the house, made the introductions, and of course mama was happy (can you imagine) to have everyone for lunch!


"We've got plenty of banana sandwiches and sweet tea for everyone", Mama said. She frantically but oh so gracefully began to mash up more bananas for sandwiches! Can you imagine the look on their faces when they found out what they were eating? These folks had never heard of such thing! That day was no different than any other day on the farm...busy! Mama just added two more chairs around the table! They were real troopers and gave the banana sandwiches a whirl, ate seconds, and were most appreciative of their gracious host and hostess. As it turned out they loved mashed banana sandwiches.

That day began a lifelong friendship. Max and Francis became some of my parents best friends. Every other summer after our crops were harvested, we would travel by car to Baxter, Iowa to visit them. Typically they would visit us in the fall of the years we didn't visit them. I thought that was the greatest thing since sliced bread being able to travel there. Max died several years ago, but Francis is still living and mama and daddy still keep in touch with her. They're all in their 80's now, but the memories they made will last a lifetime.

Embrace each day...it could be a memory for a lifetime!

Ginger :)