Mmm... Black and White Cookie

Mmm... Black and White Cookie
Originally uploaded by elkie456

I forgot my daughter's lunch today.  I didn't even know I forgot it until we were almost at school.  I thought Abby's bookbag seemed lighter today when we left the house, but in the car as I was flipping through the morning radio stations to find some music (near impossible during the morning drive), an image of a task not completed filled my head -- the daily morning ritual of PACKING THE LUNCHBOX.

How had I let that happen?  Every morning I pack the Tinkerbell lunchbox, although some days there's a request for the Hello Kitty lunchbox. (Yes, 2 lunchboxes. I know I spoil her.)  Where had my routine crashed like a "Sad Mac"?  Who knows? 

The high I had been experiencing since being anointed Queen of Needle and Thread in our house had dissipated.  Thankfully Abby cheerfully offered, "It's ok mom. I'm not mad at you."

I recovered nicely by pulling into a market a few blocks before school.  At the market I fashioned a makeshift lunch of fruit salad, a small challah roll, and a small bottle of water.  But what else could I buy for Abby's lunch to take away my shame of forgetting the lunchbox?  

Then I saw them. Black and White Cookies.  I saw the cookies and thought of the Seinfeld episode that featured them (The Dinner Party).  Seinfeld said, "If people would only look to the cookie all our problems would be solved."  I quickly added two black and white cookies to my purchase.  I rarely if ever put cookies in Abby's lunch.  Today I did.  They were my non-verbal apology to my daughter for forgetting her lunchbox.  I felt I needed to do something special for her even though she already had shown compassion for me.

The cookies worked. At the end of the day my oversight was forgotten and all Abby could talk about was how great the black and white cookies were.  She said, "Mom, those cookies were so delicious.  When can you forget my lunch again?"