I was born and raised in Chicago. Not the suburbs but the city of Chicago all my life. Starting from the West ( now that's a story how I found out) to South, North and East but people really only said South and West. It's a Chicago thing. Anyway, one of my fondest memories was going to my grandmother's house being spoiled (shhh that's a secret) and eating whatever she'd cooked or had in the fridge.
Now my grandma was from the country so you can just about imagine what all I ate. Back then, It was nothing to eat cracklin', salt pork, rice, greens galore and even chitterlings! By the way, my aunt made thee best chitterlings. But, the prize would always circle back to wanting some black eyes peas- perfect for this now vegan. As a child the peas were my friends with faces although I couldn't understand why they only had one eye.
Smelling them cooking made happy sounds to my ears and my tummy talked back with a growl. Soon, I would enjoy a bowl with some hot water cornbread, sing a song in my head and smile at my grandma for being the best.
Moral of the story, times were hard for our ancestors but they always made a way of making it right, doing it first and training up a child. And for this we can and owe it to ourselves and others to respect that life and eat an ole' bowl of black eyed peas with the one eye (on you). The eyes really are watching.
R.I.H grandma Poopie. I love and shole do miss you today.
Written by Sonji,
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