I don’t think that it was too much to ask for.

Last night we were out having dinner and I ordered a salad. That is all I wanted was a salad. But not just any salad. I wanted the salad that I had been looking forward to having all day; the salad that is made of :

mesculin, radicchio, mozzerella and parmigiano cheeses, red onion, one olive and a –

thinly sliced pear.

This is the thing that I had been looking forward to — did I mention — all day.

So,

when the waiter told me that I would not be able to have my salad, the salad that I had been looking forward to all day, my heart sank to my feet. When I was told that it was because they did not have a pear, I became annoyed.

As I searched the menu for an acceptable substitute for the salad that I had been looking forward to all day, I came up empty. No other salad would do. I looked at Auguste and he looked back at me as if to say:

“If it’s going to make you happy (and consequently, my life easier) go ahead.”

So, I did.

I ordered my salad, the one that I had been looking forward to eating all day, and then I discreetly got up from the table, went to the fruit stand next door, bought a pear, asked for a knife, sliced the pear, went back to the table and covertly placed the sliced pear onto my salad.

Mission accomplished!!! It did not take much imagination to solve this problem and, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that the restaurant did not attempt solve my little pear problem for me.

As she ssprinkled some cheese on her pasta, Gussie, shaking her head, said to me:

“Mom, you are definitely an original.”

(I am sure that was calling me weird). She continued:

“One day I am going to write a book about just how “original” you are.”

And as I happily swallowed a slice of that pear, I responded:

“Fine. As long as you make me look good…”

To which she replied:

“Exactly.”