It really is the simple things sometimes.
At first, you’re not even thinking about them.
Then, suddenly, they pop you in the noggin like a comebacker off Big Papi’s bat. (If you don’t know who Big Papi is, I forgive you. But do yourself a favor and look him up. I’ll wait.)
Well, maybe not that hard — but they do catch your attention.
Like, for instance, when you realize it’s been ages since you’ve had potato salad.
Any potato salad.
On a day that just happens to be the Fourth of July. In Korea — where, you know, American holidays aren’t celebrated — because, well, they’re American holidays.
But that’s OK.
Because sometimes you get a little reminder — when you’re not expecting it.
Like when one of the teachers brings in a slew of potatoes that she grew in her own garden.
They’d all been boiled (I’m guessing in the school cafeteria, but I don’t know for sure), and that’s how everyone was eating them. (It’s funny — it’s literally like we were all playing a game of “hot potato.”) They were a little too hot to handle, but everyone was chowing down anyway.
So, after about 10 of them or so, I’d had my fill and sat down at my desk.
Of course, a few minutes later, another teacher brought me a bagful of yet more potatoes — and indicated that I should bring them home with me in my backpack. At that moment, the last thing I wanted was more potatoes. But I know how useless it is here to refuse offers of food, so I relented.
Later, I was very happy I did.
Say, about 6 p.m. or so, out of nowhere, it hit me like a ton of bricks: I have potatoes. I have eggs. I have mayonnaise. Bloody hell, I have almost everything I need for potato salad! By God, that’s what I’m having for dinner tonight!
So, it was off to Home Mart for some celery and celery seeds (which they had) and a few other ingredients. They didn’t have everything, but that’s OK. I made do with what I had — then, by gum (to quote an old friend of mine), I made myself some potato salad — and polished it off in four bowls, mind you. (I had a little wine with it, but you didn’t hear that from me.)
After that, I was, as they say, a very happy camper.
Anyway, I’ll be hitting up Ms. Cho for more potatoes in the morning. With any luck, she’ll have some.
Like I said, it really is the simple things sometimes.
Happy 235th, America!
© 2011
Not like memere’s potato salad I bet
I like mine with paprika sprinkled on top…mmm