by Renee Hawkley
Once upon a Sunday New Year, a stranger was driving along a stretch of McMillan Road that borders a residential area in Boise, Idaho. She happened to pass a makeshift "Hot Cocoa Stand" attended by a smattering of young children. A rickety car was holding its ground nearby.
OK. A hot cocoa stand is an unusual sight to behold along McMillan Road on a frosty, sky-blue Sunday in January. On her way home, the stranger passed the stand again, noticed the children had a small stream of customers, and was, well—curious. She was also smitten with a sudden craving for hot cocoa.
OK. A hot cocoa stand is an unusual sight to behold along McMillan Road on a frosty, sky-blue Sunday in January. On her way home, the stranger passed the stand again, noticed the children had a small stream of customers, and was, well—curious. She was also smitten with a sudden craving for hot cocoa.
Now, this stranger has a rule about spending money on a
Sunday. She doesn’t. So she turned her gaze again to the
straight and narrow road ahead and kept driving.
Still . . . the car slowed as she decided there
would be no slackening of standards if she were to turn the car around and go back
just to hear how this “Hot Cocoa Stand” came to be. That way, she could get the story without having to pay for
it. So she did.
And here’s the story, as told by the hot cocoa stand’s owner, a girl of about age ten, who wanted a specific family game for Christmas that hadn’t been
delivered. She wanted it badly
enough to come up with an idea.
She would raid her piggy bank to buy hot cocoa mix and a can
of Reddi-Whip, make a “Hot Cocoa Stand” sign out of cardboard, and ask her dad
for help to set up shop with her younger siblings on McMillan Road. Dad agreed to help. And there they were—Dad helping the
younger children to dispense hot cocoa and Reddi-Whip while his oldest daughter acted
as cashier.
I don’t know if the family’s “Once upon a time” story has
the “Happily ever after” ending it deserves. All I know is that the stranger bought a tasty cup of hot
cocoa that kept her warm all day—“with Reddi-Whip, thank you”—and
paid more money for it than the cardboard sign suggested. Once upon a Sunday New Year.
Happy New Year!
Sunday ~ January 1,
2012
1 comment:
That is a such a sweet story. Thank you for sharing it.
My name is Kristine Walton and I had a good friend give me your book "Don't Come in Here, Mom's Throwing Spaghetti" in September just after my fourth child was born. I love your book! It made me laugh so hard, and feel like I was in good company with all the feelings I have about motherhood. You have a gift for putting experiences into words that are universally understood. Just recently my husband picked it up and laughed and laughed over all the truths about parenthood in your book as well.
Ever since I read your book, I've looked for copies of it so that I could give them to my sisters and a couple close friends who are having babies, but I can only find used copies. Do you happen to have any new ones I could buy, or know where I could get some? Your stories have helped me keep perspective--remembering why we do what we do, even when life tries to make me forget. And I can't imagine a better baby gift for someone!
I will probably try to get the used ones if you don't have any new copies, but I thought I would check and see, since I just barely ran across your blog--and am so excited to read more of your thoughts.
Thank you so much for your help. And my email address is knwalton@yahoo.com
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