Good Gravy
She invited Neil to Sunday dinner,
a bold move considering she couldn’t be absolutely sure
we’d behave ourselves,
Michael, Bruce, me and Jim.
She’d prepared her usual company meal:
exceedingly dry roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy,
green salad, various veg,
and some scrumptious home baked dessert for later.
We sat at the dining room table and served ourselves family style.
Conversation flowed smoothly,
nobody asked,
“Ah Neil, exactly what are your intentions with our mother?)
We were behaving!
One of us broke out a favored refrain,
“Mom, Neil doesn’t like your roast.”
Neil bit to our delight.
He, stammering, “that no, he really liked the roast.”
The gravy boat was dry
Mom refilled it in the kitchen and offered
“more gravy?” to Neil.
Walking around the table she stumbled,
lost control of the gravy boat that tipped
pouring very hot gravy directly onto his lap.
She stood there mortified,
flapping her hands in the air while Neil quickly stood.
We knew he was a keeper when he calmly said,
“That will go with the potatoes in my pocket.”
Comments
Thanks to her little monsters he couldn't say he didn't know what he was getting into when he married Helene. Neil was such a fine man and exactly
Who your mom needed at that difficult time in her life. You were all so good for one another. He became part of our family an we loved him. As we've said many times, it's such a gift to have one good partner. Helene had three!