The Cucumber Waitress

I have loved vegetables for as long as I can remember. When I was a young girl, my mother deemed me "The Vegetable Kid." Cucumbers were my favorite by far, and garden-fresh cucumbers ... even better!

My family moved from Nebraska to Ohio when I was six years old. My father's job had brought us to the land where high school football reigned—so much so that we snagged season tickets for the football season before we even had a house! During those early, house-less days in small-town Ohio, we took up residence in a small motel just behind the elementary school. I seem to recall that we had two rooms—one for my parents and one for my two older sisters and me to share.

My mother had been used to cooking dinner each night for the family, so the time we spent in the motel could have produced one of two sensations for her—frustration at not having access to a kitchen, or complete and utter relief at the reprieve this was providing her for a short period. I suspect it was more of the former, but who knows. At any rate, we had few dinner options available in our new hometown, so we mostly alternated between a few sit-down restaurants. Two places stand out in my mind when I think back to this time.

My fondest memories of Rancher's Roast Beef involved the two varieties of turnovers—cherry and apple. This place was directly across the street from our temporary abode, and it was the more casual of the two places. The second restaurant was a bit more formal, so I suppose it became more of a weekend eatery for us. The Greenery was my favorite by a long shot, however ... primarily because of our waitress.

I don't recall her name or any other defining details, but going to The Greenery was the highlight of my week. The waitress knew that we were new in town, and she also knew my moniker, "The Vegetable Kid." Whether or not we were assigned to her section, she always brought me fresh cucumbers from her garden. This gesture of kindness made such a strong impression—aside from the joy I experienced eating the fresh cucumbers, the fact that this woman took the time to make a little girl smile became forever etched in my memory.

The Greenery is long gone, and I live many miles away from that small town. But the generous spirit of the Cucumber Waitress—wherever she may be today—lives on!

Comments

[Mom & Dad]

What a cute story!!!! We were just talking about what restaurant was there before the Lucky Steer and mentioned the turnovers too. It was Friday night after the football game. Well written story....and I felt both ways about no kitchen. First it was fun....then it got boring after a while!