I called my mother one afternoon and asked what she was doing. "I'm
cooking with mayonnaise," she said. That's code. She wasn't actually
cooking anything. She was plotting against my father.
Her mother, my grandmother, was married for 63 years to a man who
hated mayonnaise. She was a marvelous cook who worked in her kitchen
from early in the morning in her high-heeled shoes and wrap around apron,
stockings rolled to the ankles. She could make a sit-down dinner for 20
without so much as a sweat. She loved to bake; she kept a list of her
grandchildren's favorites taped to the inside of the metal cabinet door
closest to the sink. Mine read: Lisa -- chocolate chip cookies, extra crunchy.
Despite my grandmother's significant cooking skills, my grandfather
refused to eat much of what she made. He was, in her words, 'the most
finicky' eater. In the beginning of their marriage, his stubbornness with
regard to food must have driven her nuts.
By the time I came along, she had worked out a lot of kinks.
One day, I came into the kitchen as she tended to something on the
stove with a tight smile on her face. I pulled the step-stool over and climbed
up. "What's that?" I asked, peering into the cast iron pan.
"Fried fish," she said. "I'm making lunch for your grandfather."
Creamy liquid simmered around the fillet. "What's that funny smell?"
She turned off the stove and reached across me for a plate. "Don't say
a word," she whispered directly into my ear. We stood there listening to his
footsteps, to the sound of his quiet humming. My grandfather always
hummed. While he washed his hands in the hall bathroom, she pulled her
apron pocket open and showed me the bottle tucked inside. Mayonnaise.
"Your grandfather hates mayonnaise." She looked right at me, and
that's when I deciphered the code. He had behaved badly. And she
was leveling the marriage field.
We sat with my grandfather that day while he ate his lunch. We
watched while he used a piece of bread to soak up the sauce. My
grandmother offered him a genuine smile and touched my hand, "Learn."
I didn't ask my mother why she was annoyed. The reasons never
matter. When she put my father on the phone, I was especially nice to him. I
had already gleaned from the terseness in my mother's voice that he was in
trouble. If I had to guess, he was one step away from making a significant
financial contribution to the ballet. And he would never even know.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.