I’m not sure but I think I’ve pee’d in the same toilet as Oprah.
Sweet tea – that’s all it took and well of course a trip to “Sweetie Pie’s” restaurant, famous in the neighborhood before Oprah showed up with her cameras, with cameras of their own! And if you’ve ever watched the Food Network you know what restaurant I’m talking about.
David took me out to “Sweetie Pies” a restaurant in the West End of St. Louis (I think that’s where it’s at — for the most part I just yelled at him during our travel there, “Did you just see that building – it was boarded up!” or “Don’t stop at the stoplight!!!) but once we arrived I was happy to be at “Sweetie Pies”.
Upon arriving we found ourselves in a rather long line (it took us 20 to 30 minutes to make it to the buffet line) so while in it I turned around and started chatting with the girls behind us – two women from E. St. Louis. I smiled when they told me that was where they were from and began talking about being raised there myself! Yes, I did tell them the part about being one of only three white kids (one of which was my little sister) in the whole school even back in my day, the 1960’s!!!
They grinned — and talked and talked and talked with us, so much so in fact they asked to sit with us which we all did. After arriving at the table and all of our food being set out we all picked up our forks and then I blurted out before the forks made contact with steaming hot double delicious cheesiness mac & cheese, “So who’s saying grace?” Their large brown eyes looked at each other and then back at David & I. David, grinning answered, “I will.”
Me, always being the one to push the boundary said, “Let’s hold hands”! David jumped for his napkin and said, “Oh, uhhhh I just licked my fingers”! I already was holding the gal’s hand to my right and the one to his left starting laughing and grabbed his wrist! David sounded like he was speaking in tongues he said the prayer so fast and then everyone dug in and there was all kinds of compliments flying over the food. And trust me “Yes!” the mac & cheese was delicious and so was the fried wings which were more like the size of an entire chicken and you got 4 of them on your plate along with awesome mashed potatoes and gravy — all chased down with iced cold sweet tea.
We chatted and chatted together, talked about kids, the two of them had 6 kids together, one had 2 girls, the other 3 boys and 1 girl, I told her I’d pray for her, she laughed. We talked about the food we were eating, the recipes we used at home, and well that of course lead to movies and men and beautiful black men and beautiful black men in Tyler Perry movies — specifically Shamar the braided hair guy in the movie “Diary of a Mad Black Woman!”
We laughed and laughed and David ate and ate! We talked about what women really want in a man (David listened on that part), we talked about taking care of our elderly parents, we looked at pictures of their kids and well, talked about how good our food was there. It was a really special time with perfect strangers and when it was over they got up to leave and I got up to hug them both.
And then it happened, the one to my right after hugging me stood back and said “I wish you were my neighbor because I’d go to you first!” I grinned and thanked her for that and said “Well the Lord tells us to mentor the younger ones and that is what we should do!” We told each other maybe we’d meet again in this very place but I know where I’ll see those two some day and I know I’ll always remember that special lunch at “Sweetie Pies”.
And, yes, I used the facilities before leaving and, no, it didn’t occur to me that Oprah had probably used the same toidy until I began to write this — might just have to count this towards my 15 minutes of fame! Actually you know what I hope it goes towards, I hope those two black gals remember my white face and that cute kid’s of mine every time they’re tempted to believe the lie we all believe that “They’re all like that.”, whatever the race. The truth is we all are like this . . . in need of good food and good fellowship and the Lord gave me both today and I thank Him for it. Amen!
lordus boke 