PEAS

When I was a kid I hated peas. I mean I really, really HATED peas. HATED! They literally made me gag. I thought I would throw up if I had to put them in my mouth. My mother didn't understand this. She loved peas. She served us those frozen peas, not canned peas. She couldn't understand someone who did not love peas, therefore she made me eat my peas. This would turn into quite an ordeal. I can remember sitting at the table for a LONG time trying to eat my peas. I couldn't do it. Could. Not. Do. It. So I finally devised a method where my peas would disappear (or seem to) to satisfy my mother that I had ate my peas. When she was looking, I would put a pea in my mouth. Just one. I couldn't handle more than that. When she wasn't looking, I would take a pea and smash it under my glass. Or under my plate. Or under the salt shaker, or any other plate or glass or bowl on the table. I would drop a few on the floor, making sure to give them a toss in different directions. I would even put some in my pockets. I loved it when we ate outside, because getting rid of my peas was no problem then. All I had to do was continually drop them on the grass under the picnic table and they were gone.
I don't know if my mother ever knew that I never ate my peas. If so, she never said anything. And guess what else? I really don't hate peas anymore. In fact, I love pea salad with canned peas. And there's a layered salad that I love with the frozen style peas in it. Do I ever just serve peas straight as a side dish? Nope! But I also like them fresh out of the pod!