SHE AINT GONNA LOAN YOU A BOWL

My mother will do most anything for anybody anytime.  She helps with her heart and her hands and is sincere in her nature.  But things can get ugly if you want to borrow a bowl.

   My mother has an emotional attachment to her stuff.  She told dad when I was in high school to bury her with her Tupperware.  She was serious and still has the same Tupperware.  In particular she has an affection for bowls.  She loves her bowls.  And she likes buying bowls for other people.  Every time there is a cute bowl at a relatives house, it was a gift from my mother. 

   One Sunday afternoon my sisters and their families are visiting mom.  Seeing their cars parked out front, I walk over too.

   Joining my nephew on a love seat, we sit directly in front of a ceiling to floor cabinet at the edge of her dining set.  Just listening to the chatter around us we are content.

  Lorraine is going on about the intense Florida heat and Rosemary smiles from the corner of the room watching her husband unabashedly dive into biscuits and gravy. 

  My attention wanders to the wondrous display of mother's bowl cabinet when my nephew exclaims "man, that's a lot of bowls."
  
   There are bowls in every size,shape and color.  A bowl in green plaid and yellow polka-dots,cherry red ones and twenty solid white.  We count five each of the primary colors and oh the holiday designs are the cutest.  She has rabbit covered bowls in three descending sizes and some shaped liked carrots and eggs.  There are jelly bean bowls and a large oval football bowl.  No sport is left ignored, all in a usable bowl.  Halloween candy bowls in black and orange with Christmas bowls galore.  Striped bowls and shallow bowls, dipping bowls and pasta bowls.  Easily hundreds of bowls.

   As we continue to admire her collection Mother calls out to me from the kitchen.  "Ivey Mae do you want some spaghetti sauce to take home for the kids?"
That's easy.  "Sure mom.  Thanks." 

   But, not so fast.  Then she adds,  "Well run down to your house and bring back a bowl that I can put it in."

   Momentarily forgetting her affinity with the bowls, I suggest something insane. "Mom can't you put it in one of your bowls?   Then I'll take it home and dump it in one there and bring yours back.  I won't keep your bowl.  Besides I'm already here."

   Without the slightest hesitation she says " No, no, uuhh, I don't think I have any bowls"
My nephew and I look at each other and quietly burst out laughing, as we sit in front of the bowl shrine.

   "OK mom.  I'll go get a a bowl."

   So, she will do many things for many people but I'm tellin you the truth.  There is no need to ask because she ain't gonna loan you a bowl.