I want you all to get a picture of this-
Boy Wonder (circa 1996) wearing a cowboy hat, shorts and the smallest of brown cowboy boots riding his little green John Deere Tractor. We sure start them young at liking the best of the best in toys. (You’re welcome Mr. John Deere)
Boy Wonder started imitating Cowboy as soon as he left my womb. So when his sweet little blue-eyed, dimpled cheeked self turned 4 years old, he pretty much had it down pat. If Cowboy was shaving his face, Boy Wonder would stand on a chair next to him and shave his invisible hairs with his toy razor. That kid had shaving cream from the top of his eyebrows to the bottom of his chin. If Cowboy was hammering on something, he always had an extra piece of wood and a plastic hammer for Boy Wonder.
At age 4, Boy Wonder also decided that he would only eat what cowboys ate. Oh great… with my culinary abilities limited to 7 dishes. This is going to be real interesting.
Did I ever tell you about the times (yes there were multiple) that I tried to be creative in the cooking department and would substitute ingredients for other ingredients? Or maybe I would get side tracked and forget what I was cooking altogether? No? Well that’s another story then.
So there goes the broccoli, the green beans and any type of pasta salad that I put on the table. He wanted meat and potatoes. Meat and potatoes and more meat and potatoes…just like his wrangler-wearing dad.
Finally I decided that since Boy Wonder liked everything “cowboy”, I would name each dish COWBOY SURPRISE. I can be pretty creative when challenged. And it worked! That little guy ate everything I put in front of him…
Except for one night-
We were all sitting at the dinner table (because that was our family time and very important to Cowboy and me).
I pass my new creation that I named Cowboy Surprise (once again) to Sweet Girl who loved everything I cooked (that girl makes my heart smile). She passes it to Cowboy who looks at it like its a dish full of army worms. He scoops a spoonful onto Boy Wonder’s plate. And I swear to the Lord above if you could have seen the look on Boy Wonder’s little face it would have made you fall over laughing while you pee’d your pants.
He picks up his fork and digs around on his plate. Moving things from side to side-
BOY WONDER: (whispering loudly) What is this? Where’s the meat?
SWEET GIRL: (speaking to Boy Wonder) Remember what daddy said? You’re not supposed to make fun of mama’s cooking because she tries really hard. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not. That’s why she calls it Cowboy Surprise.
’til next Sunday y’all- Tammy
