Fried Potatoes

"A Story About A Truly Loving Couple"
by Kris {Shallan7163@aol.com}
Reprinted with permission

I wanted to send this true story about my parents to you.
To me this story shows the true meaning of love and
wanting to do things to please the person that you love
the most. Mom and Dad are about to celebrate 60 years
together, and are as in love today as they were back in
1942 when they married. They do things to please each
other and they take care of one another with love and a
heavy dose of laughter. Our family calls this story:

"Fried Potatoes"

When my parents were married in 1942, my father was
in the Army and was initially stationed in New Orleans,
LA. My mother followed him to New Orleans and set up
their first home. They had been there a few months when
my mother, being only 18 and her first time away from
her family (in Maryland), grew very homesick. They
scrimped and saved and finally Dad was able to put
Mom on a train for home for a visit.

As she was boarding the train Mom asked, "Is there
anything you would like me to bring from home?" Dad
replied, "Not really." Mom replied, "Are you sure?" Dad
said, "Well....there is one thing, but you'll be mad at me
for asking." Mom said, "No I won't. What is it you want?"
Dad said, "The one thing that I miss most is my Momma's
fried potatoes. You make good ones, but not like hers.
Would you ask her to show you how she fixes them?"

Mom said that she'd try. So she boarded the train for
Maryland for a 2 week visit home. She had a grand
time visiting family and friends. At the end of the visit
she boarded the train for New Orleans and her husband.

The first night she was back in New Orleans, Dad
came home, walked in the front door to the smell of
potatoes frying in an iron skillet on the stove. Dad
snuck in the kitchen, lifted the lid on the pan and
inhaled the heavenly scent of "home". Smiling, he
went down the hall to clean up for supper.

When he came out to supper he found everything just
as his Momma did it. A magazine sat on the table to
protect the table from the hot pan. The covered iron
skillet sat on top in all it's glory. Fried catfish and green
beans were ready to complete his favorite meal from
home. Smiling in anticipation, Dad lifted the lid on the
iron skillet....and gazed at a huge black mass of well
burnt fried potatoes!

Looking up at my mother in askance, she explained.
"Your Momma said that she would be happy to teach
me how she cooked fried potatoes. I went 3 different
times to her house to learn how she fried potatoes.
Each time she got out the iron skillet and showed me
exactly how you liked them cooked."

Dad was still bewildered, knowing that both his mother
and his wife are a terrific cooks. He could not understand
why Mom's potatoes were black. Still he scooped up a
big serving on his plate. Mom continued, "Each time I
went over for dinner, your mother got a telephone call
and the potatoes burned on one side. I thought that you
liked them burnt, so I burned them on both sides to
make them extra special."

Dad ate the entire pan of burnt potatoes. And just to
make certain that he knew she was joking, Mom
cooked the potatoes the "right" way the following night.
Received on Sun Feb 15 15:30:48 2004