My kids love food.  All food.  Junk food, good-for-you food, meat, vegetables, salads…the list goes on.  There is not much they will not eat, except boy #1 will not eat cheese and boy #2 will not eat chili, beef stew or mushrooms.  Boy #1 is much more adventurous with trying new things, and he often finds things that he really likes.  Some friends of ours once took boy #1 away with them for the weekend and when they returned home,  they were excited to tell me that they went out for Japanese food, and my boy tried sushi.  And he liked it.  And he asked for more.  Don’t know where he gets that love from, because I consider sushi “bait.”  Cannot think of anything more disgusting.

So last Friday night, I had to work a little late and by the time I got home, it was about 6 PM.  Not in the mood to cook, not in the mood for a frozen pizza.   My boy’s must have been plotting because when I walked in the door, they announced that it might be a good idea to go to Ron’s Place.  I welcomed the idea, as Ron’s Place is a local “Pub” with some of the best burgers I have ever had, not to mention the plethora of Long Island Ice Tea selections.  They serve the teas in the large mason jar style mugs, so one is usually more than enough.   I ordered the Hawaiian Punch, which I probably would not order again.  It had pineapple juice, cherry juice and Malibu rum added to the traditional tea mixture.   Think Rum Punch-y crossed with Alabama Slammer.  Sweet.  Like sugar coating your tongue sweet. 

My boy’s ordered a root beer (they serve it in frosted mugs…they think they are all that when they are swilling the “beer” from a manly, frosted mug!) and Mr. T. ordered a Hacker Pschoor.  We sat at the table and started having a conversation about school.  We talked about teachers, which classes they like the best, which teacher was fun, boring, funny.  I asked boy #1 who he thought was the best teacher he has this year. 

After chatting for awhile about that, this disussion took place:

ME:  “So, you really like Mrs. M., (Social Studies teacher) huh?”

Boy #1 “Yeah, but Social Studies is getting a little boring.  You know who I really like a lot?”

Me:  “Who?” ( I am expecting him to say his band teacher, or his gym teacher…)

Boy #1:  “Pearl.  One of the lunch ladies.  She is my friend.  She wears a hair net and has really thick glasses.  Glasses that make her eyes look really, really big.  Every day,  I walk into the lunch room and say, ‘Hey “Pearly”…what’s for lunch today!”

At that, Mr. T and I start busting a gut, laughing!  We could not help but think of the hilarious SNL skit with Chris Farley (comic genius) and Adam Sandler.  As soon as we got home from stuffing ourselves with burgers, we found the skit online and showed the boys. You can check it out here: http://www.cylive.com/content/8185/Lunch_Lady_SNL_Skit_with_Chris_Farley_and_Adam_Sandler

I am a happy Mom that my boy has found a friend in Pearl!  Sometimes he gets a little extra food from her.  He told us that in the lunch room, he is commonly known as “The Vulture.”   Like I said, there is not much that boy will not eat, not even in “Lunch Lady Land!”

While we were enjoying our night, my two boy’s went to play the juke box.  The selections of the evening were Bob Marley, Buffalo Soldier and also by Bob Marley Three Little Birds.  Boy #1 is really loving the reggae. And the night would not be complete for our family if Boy #2 did not have the opportunity to play Johnny Cash, A Boy Named Sue.  He loves that song!

Another musical surprise for us is when we got home, boy #1 went to the computer and downloaded some songs on his ipod.  He was the happy recipient of a few itunes gift cards for his birthday and was eager to put them to use.  Wouldn’t you think that a boy of twelve would be downloading Chris Brown or maybe Chris Daughtry?  Nope.  Not even close.  His choices were Count Basie, Miles Davis and  John Coltrane.  I was impressed.  Impressed because when he started asking me about Jazz musicians, I couldn’t name one.  Not one.  I am happy to say that my boy is more cultured than I or his Dad.  I can say that about Mr. T because I am going to download songs on his ipod today and Poison and The Bullet Boys are on his list.  Yes, the Bullet Boys.  Mullet music all the way!  There is a reason that one does not hear anything of late from The Bullet Boys.  They stink.  But Mr. T. seems to have an affinity of bad 80’s hair band music.  One of his many charms!   So, needless to say, when I need to borrow an ipod (I say borrow, because I am the only person on the face of the earth that does not have an ipod of my own!) I will be borrowing from the boy!  You never know, I may learn something!