"APPLES"

When I was 6, I was in the second grade at Edison Grade School in
South Charleston. Both of my parents worked so I had to eat at school
but it was way cool because a lot of kids including me at Edison ate at the armory across
the street with the military guys. That I loved.

But recess was another thing
that I loved as we had two of them--one in the morning and one in the 
afternoon. Every morning at recess, some parents sold either an apple
or orange juice with crushed ice: I always chose orange juice. But one day
they had run out of orange juice and so I chose an apple--a big red one.

I will never forget taking a huge bite into it only to have it get stuck in my
throat. The Hem. Man. had not been invented. Standing by the water 
fountain choking, I knew I was going to die right there and then.

All of a sudden I felt someone grab me and take me by my shoes and hold
me upside down. Patted my back as hard as possible and stood me back
up. I was staring my principal right in the face and not sure what to say to
her. Grateful? Of course I was.

But from that day to this, I cannot eat
a raw apple--it has to be peeled and even then, I get a throwback to that 
day and decide not to eat it.

Sherry Hill.

Copyright © 2015

Sherry Hill

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