Hear Jim Reed’s Red Clay diary: https://youtu.be/3GXSL9oKZZE
or read his transcript below:
A story both true and actual, from many many many many years ago…
ARCHIVES OF THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB
Popeye canned spinach is being served tonight, straight from can to stove pan, where slices of hard boiled eggs are added, along with white vinegar. Once steaming, the delicacy is transferred to chipped serving dish to family table, where it beckons to parents and kids.
For some reason, I am the only one of five children who endorses and gobbles up soggy warm spinach. Brothers and sisters will do anything possible to avoid having to face the prospect. Which is odd, because all five of us adore our cartoon hero, Popeye, who downs entire cans before each conquest.
Admire the superhero. Disdain how he got to be super. Losers all, I think smugly. I’m going to grow muscle and develop agility by imbibing a double dose of Popeye spinach.
Fortunately for my siblings, Mother’s dinner table is loaded with plenty of other delectable leftovers—pork and beans, cole slaw, hot cornbread, cold fried chicken, apple pie…enough to hide from parents the fact that no-one but yours truly ever touches the Popeye spinach.
I am also the kid who eats everything on the plate. That’s because it’s a sin to waste food or toss out uneaten food. WWII ended just a few years ago. Our parents sacrificed and scrimped and saved and worked hard to bring home the food we are enjoying. We are constantly reminded of this.
“Think of all the starving children in China,” Mother says whenever a plate is left uncleared. This is her way of letting us know that there are many children in the world who don’t get three squares and a snack each day. We should be grateful. And we are.
But that, too, never convinces everybody that they should try spinach.
Children can starve, muscles can stay flabby, but some things just should not be eaten.
Still, whenever we go the the movies, the Popeye cartoons inspire us. Even if some of us don’t care for his culinary habits.
No matter, I love Popeye’s spinach. Even though I know that it’s more fun to imagine being strong and mighty, than it is to exert the effort required to become strong and mighty.
Maybe I’m just a eat-everything-on-your-plate hero. At least I’m thinking of the children of China, and not just myself.
Of course, later, as a sullen teenager, I will learn to retort, “Well, let’s just pack up the leftovers and mail them to China.” That line only works once, as you can imagine.
And another admonition that I wish I can whisper to my brother is, “Eat every carrot and pea on your plate.” We could giggle and feel so smug for at least a minute.
It’s those minutes that remain ever fresh and soggy in my mind to this day
© Jim Reed 2020 A.D.