At dinner this evening my mom said, “These peas sure do taste wonderful!” Immediately upon hearing those words, a memory long supressed reared its ugly head. Suddenly it was 1981 and my family sat around the same dinner table eating the same meal. That night on television, The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island was playing and I was excited! The only problem was my mother made peas. She didn’t just make peas but she dumped a heaping spoonful on my plate. I hated peas.
“C’mon Donna, eat the peas!” My mother said urging me to eat.
“No, I don’t like peas.”
“Donna, the peas taste wonderful, just take a bite, you’ll like them!”
“No Mommy, I don’t like peas.”
My father decided it was time to try some of his Silva mind control and EST techniques on me. “DONNA YOU BETTER EAT THOSE PEAS OR NO HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS ON GILLIGAN’S ISLAND FOR YOU!”
My family then proceeded to get up and go into the living room where I could hear them watching The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island. I sat there staring at the peas. I tried to eat them but I just coughed them up. Finally my mother came in and removed my plate. I went up to my room without watching the show. My little heart was broken and at recess the next day I was unable to join in on the The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island discussion.

This evening I enjoyed the peas. My mother was right, they did taste wonderful.