Greens, and Beans, and Squash, Oh My! Part 1

My first grade teacher made us eat everything on our tray before we could go outside for lunch recess. I learned to eat (and even like) sauerkraut that year. I must have eaten other foods too that I would never have tried if it weren’t for her strict rule.

Our cafeteria ladies served canned spinich that looked like it had already been digested. Yes, you know what I mean. On days when they plopped that glob of slimy, not quite green stuff on my plate, the words to the song: Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts wouldn’t stop marching around my brain.

Through the cafeteria windows, I could see my friends outside, running and laughing. Finally, I mustered enough courage to put some of the repulsive stuff on my fork and raise it toward my mouth. Did it move? I thought I saw it move. It looked like a lump of mostly dead green worms. Before my fork reached my lips, I gagged, again and again, until I finally accepted as fact that I would never be able to eat spinich. I reasoned that getting into trouble for throwing up in the cafeteria would be worse than missing recess.

I always missed recess on spinach days. I admit I never tasted canned spinich. No matter how I tried, it just refused go past my teeth.

I do eat greens now. Raw, in salads, not cooked.

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