Good morning and welcome back to Miz Judi’s Kitchen. I hope this finds all happy and healthy.
As I was sitting around today, I got to thinking that Josh, our oldest son, will be 34 on Wed. and then I thought, where in the world has the time gone?
It got me to thinking about when he was 4 years old, and he was nothing like his brother Mark (Red), and his cousin Tony. Those two got into everything, but Josh was always a little shy.
But like most men, he always liked a little money in his pocket. We’d go out to eat, and somehow he’d have some money on him. Then when we’d leave the restaurant, he’d still be toting a little money on him. I didn’t think too much about it because I thought his Dad might have given him the change left from the bill.
That was, until one day, when he and I had gone to lunch by ourselves. Once we got back to the car, I saw that he had a fist full of ones, and I questioned him over it. I said, “Son, where did you get that money from?” He looked up at me with them big brown eyes of his, and said, “Mama, I got them off the tables when we left.”
Now, here I am trying to explain to him that it is wrong to take things that don’t belong to you! Then, at the same time I’m trying to figure out how the waitresses were going to get their tips back, because I had no idea which tables he’d raided!
So off we go back into the restaurant to give the tips back. As we walked in, we went to the cashier, and before I could say anything, Josh told her, “Here’s the money I got off the tables as I was walking by.” She looked at him, and said, “Well, you sure are a very honest boy, aren’t you?”
He looked up at her and said, “No ma’am, my Mama made me bring it back.”
The cashier looked at me and almost started laughing, but she didn’t. Instead, she looked right back down at Josh and told him, “But see, you told your Mama the truth when she asked you about it, so that does make you an honest boy, doesn’t it?” Well, I thanked her, and told her how sorry we were, and off we went!
We got back to the car and Josh asked me, “Mama, what does honest mean? I just told him, that it means you don’t take things that don’t belong to you, and you don’t tell lies. Also, if you do something wrong, you always own up to it, just like you just did.
I know kids do things sometimes just being kids, but actually, when we left that restaurant, I was proud so of him for admitting what he’d done. I wonder sometimes, if that would have been Red, how that would have turned out? Then I think…you don’t want to know!
Now, as far as I know, Josh never took any more tips off any tables, at least not when he was with his Mama!
He’s now grown up, with 3 sons of his own. Dub calls them Hughey, Dewey, and Louie, and I do like to tell them this story along with a few others! He is a very fine young man, and a great Dad.
As you all know time does fly by, so try and take some fun time, and enjoy it with your kids, because before you know it…they’ll be parents of their own!
So, I just want to say Happy Birthday Josh, and keep up the good work! Slow down and enjoy life some, because before you know it you’ll be a grandparent too! Remember some of your memories, and make some with your boys, so you can tell them to your grandkids, and them to theirs!
So till next time, keep a smile on your face and one in your heart.
May God Bless each and every one of you.
Deb