Away
with the Bitterness
Uncle’s
sweet tooth had to be satisfied and
sweet tooth had to be satisfied and
each
day he would fill his brown paper
day he would fill his brown paper
lunch
bag with a peanut butter sandwich,
bag with a peanut butter sandwich,
always
with wheat bread,
with wheat bread,
and
two peanut butter cups.
two peanut butter cups.
My
eleven-year-old eyes watched
eleven-year-old eyes watched
this
ritual each day while eating
ritual each day while eating
the
Life cereal he had prepared for me:
Life cereal he had prepared for me:
a
half bowl with two heaping
half bowl with two heaping
tablespoons
of sugar and a seventies
of sugar and a seventies
era
Tupperware cup of milk.
Tupperware cup of milk.
I
would later learn that while he
would later learn that while he
breakfasted
with me each day,
with me each day,
my
aunt would be in the next room
aunt would be in the next room
giving
herself the morning insulin shot.
herself the morning insulin shot.
Uncle
would always be given sweets
would always be given sweets
because
no one could think of
no one could think of
anything
else he would enjoy.
else he would enjoy.
Besides
the occasional jar of Brazilian
the occasional jar of Brazilian
or
cashew nuts, were the Whitman candies
cashew nuts, were the Whitman candies
most
people reserved as an obligatory gift
people reserved as an obligatory gift
for
someone they did not know.
someone they did not know.
His
wife would watch the candy with bitter eyes,
wife would watch the candy with bitter eyes,
for
she could not have the crust at Pizza Hut,
she could not have the crust at Pizza Hut,
nor
the breaded fish at Long John Silvers,
the breaded fish at Long John Silvers,
which
blocked her calls because she
blocked her calls because she
complained
too much on their hotline.
too much on their hotline.
It
was she who begged him long ago to leave
was she who begged him long ago to leave
his
love in England during the war
love in England during the war
to
join her in the States, or else,
join her in the States, or else,
the
blood would run not from
blood would run not from
the
trenches of Europe,
trenches of Europe,
but
rather the veins
rather the veins
in
her wrists back home.
her wrists back home.
On
Christmas, he would smile knowing the candy
Christmas, he would smile knowing the candy
he
was to receive, and she scowled
was to receive, and she scowled
as
he passed the chocolate caramels around,
he passed the chocolate caramels around,
encouraging
all but her to a Merry Christmas:
all but her to a Merry Christmas:
//continue
same stanza//
same stanza//
Away
with the bitterness and enjoy the sweet!
with the bitterness and enjoy the sweet!
Jennifer L. Smith lives
in Eagle River, Alaska with her husband, young daughter, and two cats. Her work has recently appeared in Cirque,
Eunoia Review, Yellow Chair Review, and Alaska Women Speak. See more of her work at her blog at
jlsmithwrites.com.
in Eagle River, Alaska with her husband, young daughter, and two cats. Her work has recently appeared in Cirque,
Eunoia Review, Yellow Chair Review, and Alaska Women Speak. See more of her work at her blog at
jlsmithwrites.com.