Here she comes, flying through my front door with her car coat flapping behind her.
"What are you up to?" She smiles that gaped toothed, heavy on the lipstick smile at me. Do I tell her she has lipstick on her front tooth? Just as I'm about to say something about the lipstick, she takes a puff off her cigarette and says, "I forgot how you dislike my smoking." She purses her lips like she's going to whistle at me, but instead she struts across my kitchen floor and extinguishes her cigarette in an empty milk glass that needs to be washed. The lipstick on her front tooth has disappeared, no need to say anything.
"You aren't going to be drinking out that glass again." She flops onto my kitchen couch and stares at me, with a look at disdain on her face, but yet she has a twinkle in her eye.
Meet my friend Esmeralda. I wasn't expecting her today, but that's how she does life. She's my brazen friend, she says what she wants, does what she wants, dresses how she wants, takes the bull by the horns kind of woman. After she sheds her car coat, I'm amazed at how she can pull off a flirty little sundress....at her age. Those shoes, killer heels. I'm silently coveting her shoes. Her feet are so dainty compared to my stepsister feet. Her voice is raspy, like she has been out on tour singing in smokey bars chatting up the gentlemen looking for a free drink. She probably has.
"Well, enthrall me with your wonderful tales. I've been gone so long and you know how I don't do social media. Look at me and tell me dear one, what have you on your plate this go around?"
She swings her legs with those beauty shoes still attached to her feet and lounges on my couch, waiting for me to speak.The twinkle in her eye doesn't leave, but there is a spark in her tongue.
"Oh Esmeralda." I begin. "I've been working on a writing prompt. The worst Thanksgiving dish I ever had."
She looks at me in anticipation. "So? What is it? What is the worst thanksgiving dish you have ever eaten? Certainly it couldn't be worse than when I was in the South of France and we ran out of wine!" She shrieks with laughter! "Imagine! Me running out of wine! But that's a tale for another day!" She's off again, laughing so hard her eyes fill with tears.
"It goes a number of years back." I say to Esmeralda. "A lot of years back. The worst thanksgiving dish I ever had was a turnip casserole with broiled marshmallows on the top. It was the worst. Who ever thought of that combination must of had had a surplus of turnip and marshmallows hanging about and thought what a great idea! Turnip and marshmallows on their own are boring, but together, a Thanksgiving treat! Blech! It was when I was dating that guy and he invited me over for dinner at his parents' place. Do you remember that Esmeralda?"
"Do I remember it? I remember it like it was yesterday. That was the guy I told you not to go out with, but you wouldn't listen. Plenty of fish in the sea I said to you, no need to drop anchor and settle in on that small fry. Back then, you did as you pleased. You were a smitten kitten with that one. No changing your mind. So, I stopped badgering you and decided to sit back and enjoy the show. You and that gorilla made it one good show. If reality TV was a thing back then, you would have had topped ratings. The drama!" I watch as Esmeralda fans her face with her hands and pretends to faint.
I laughed at her antics. "Esmeralda! You're one to talk! How about 'Andre' the biker? One minute you were this demure pixie in ballet slippers and the next minute you were buying out the Harley store!"
"With Andre, a lot of crazy things happened, but never turnip and marshmallows. However, one night in Las Vegas, we may have been partaking in some 'magic turnips' if you get my drift." Esmeralda is off laughing again and wiping her eyes remembering her time with Andre.
"We've come a long way baby." I swoon at her. I push her over so I can have some room on my couch and I hug my long time friend. "How about before you leave I whip you up some turnip and broiled marshmallows, just so you can say you tried them."
She gives me that smirk I have come to love so much and says in her most raspy voice, "No thanks, but magic turnips....maybe."
With that she flings herself off my couch, pulls on her car coat and is half out my door, when she turns to me and says, "You know I'll be back my dear one." And she blows me kiss.
From the 4th line,
Arlene
Truth or fiction....you be the judge. :)
