Fine, I think on the menu, it says "Harry's Cold and Flu Curing Chicken and Vegetable Soup"
When we finally made it to our destination, we got showers and clean clothes and all was right with the world. Then I woke up with a cold. Which would be no big deal, except I took my vitamins and some cold meds on an empty stomach, and with a swig of coffee. Woopsy. So, that's when I wanted to hurl. I laid in bed and figured out what the heck I was going to do. After that debacle getting out there, we couldn't just sit in the hotel all day. Or could we?
But it turns out, that's all they wanted to do. The hotel had a pool and cable. We could have had this destination Thanksgiving in Kearney, Nebraska for all they care. They have luxuries like cable and swimming. They were content to sit and flip from Disney Channel to Nickelodeon, all day if I needed. You know - to "help me out since I wasn't feeling well". Still, I knew I just needed food on my stomach. So, I got the kids down to the breakfast bar before it closed and managed to not spew. Still not feeling that great, but sans the need to ralph - thanks to the best toast ever- the kids convinced me to take them to the pool. So glad we flew all this way to swim and watch cable. But it's in my favor right now, I must admit. I piled my hair on top of my head, and packed -I'm not even kidding - the barf bag from the airplane. Let's do this.
I grabbed a local magazine in the lobby and watched the kids swim while I read up. Yes, I realize you cannot actually watch your kids swim while reading. I listened for silence to signal under the water too long. It never happened. Trust me, there was no break in the mayhem chatter also known as the Lucy and Max Show. I listened for it while I read. And that's when I found this article. As if God and Harry and some publisher put it there just for me and my cold. When I get a cold, it burns in my chest, my nose gets all chappy, my throat hurts and I whine a little more than usual. Just a little bit. Surely, I'm not getting pneumonia every time, but I claim to have it. Ricardo's degree of his rolling eyes is ever-dependent on the depth of my hacking cough.
But this article features a soup. I ask myself "Who features a SOUP?" and then I read on. The soup is suggested to be a cure - yep a cure - for the common cold or flu. The trick is, you have to catch it early and have some of this soup as soon as you feel a cold coming on. Uh, like me right now? Let's go. And the cure-y part of it is to sweat it out.
You know, typically, this sounds like one of my Mom's wacky ideas. Did she send Harry with this message? By this point, I'm willing to try it. And so I force my family to go see what this Harry guy's got up his sleeve. Harry's Cafe is a Chinese cafe. Harry looks really Chinese, with a dialect of my dad. I explain I have a cold and I need that soup. As if he couldn't tell from my Kathleen Turner voice or my red chapped nose. I try to look as pathetic as I can to reap all benefits of the cure.
He brings me my soup and whispers in my ear like my sweet Grandfather might have had I asked him to make me this soup, "Eat this up, okay? Try to eat as much of the ginger as you can." I peek down and notice a constant flow of slithers of ginger throughout the soup. Dear God, My mother has died and been re-incarnated as Harry. My mother has a tendency to be uh, have themes. Remember the dad with Windex for a cure-all in My Big Fat Greek Wedding? For an entire year, my mother had remedies all involving ginger. I note to tell my Mom about it and let her bask in the glory of rightness and all things ginger. But just for Thanksgiving. Then I dig in.
The spice and excess of ginger is supposed to make you sweat out the cold. And also, there are actually two servings in one bowl. The article suggests you eat as much as you can, and then take the other serving home for extra fix. Harry keeps checking on me. The flavor is so unique, and I can't help but insult the man by asking him for the recipe. He smiles that sweet Grandfather smile and then says no way. I assure him I'll be back for more soup. He checks on me some more. I think I freaked him out because I don't sweat. And he didn't break me this time. Also, I finished the soup. The giant serving bowl of soup. I took it down. It was so yummy and warm. Max, Lucy and Ricardo are happy that I'm happy. They're also happy I ate the entire bowl of soup because every bite assured one less, "Oh My Goodness! IT's so delicious and I'm so warm!" The thing is, the spice kept me warm. I never sweat, but I was just so happy to be warm and insulated.
The next day I woke up healed. By the powers of ginger! Thank you Harry! And my Mom thanks you too for validating her gingery conversations. I roll over and Ricardo sneezes and then starts coughing.
"Shoulda had the soup!" I exclaim with utter rudeness and glee. And then I took the kids swimming.
So Harry, until we meet again, I'll be out here in Omaha trying to re-create your soup. But I bet you I'll be out there again soon!
That's How I Roll.
Song of the Day: I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
Leave a comment