A Missed Opportunity

When our parents call us,

we should answer them right away.

When they tell us something, we should do it promptly.

Ever since they last visited Gram, their grandmother, Felicia and Hanna had been pleading with their mother to teach them to make chocolate chip cookies. It was a “secret family recipe” and Gram always made them because she knew how much her two granddaughters loved them.

Gram had taught their mother, Mrs. Johansson, how to bake the cookies. But she had been very busy with work so there hadn’t been any time for baking lessons for her daughters.

Fortunately, the project at work was now completed and Mrs. Johansson decided that she would teach the girls this Saturday, just like that day when her own mother taught her. Wanting to surprise the girls, she bought the chocolate chips and other ingredients, and put everything away where they wouldn’t notice them.

On Saturday afternoon, she called to the girls, “Felicia and Hanna, come to the kitchen!”

Hanna, who was younger, came quickly, but Felicia was busy texting her friends and called out “In a minute, Mom!”

Hanna’s eyes grew big as she learned that today was “the day.” Excited, she helped her mother get out all the ingredients and cooking utensils. Her mother showed her how to measure the ingredients and then mix everything together. She called out again, “Felicia, please come to the kitchen!” Felicia gave a distracted “Coming!” and continued her texting.

Remembering her favorite part of helping her mother, Mrs. Johansson told Hanna she could lick the spoon after the cookies were mixed. They opened the bag of chocolate chips, but Felicia still hadn’t come to the kitchen. Mrs. Johansson smiled as she and Hanna sampled a few of the chips “to be sure they are good.” Then they ate a few more because “They are good!” Again, Mrs. Johansson called out “Felicia!” But she couldn’t even hear Felicia’s mumbled reply.

Mrs. Johansson turned on the oven to heat it up. She and Hanna then spooned the cookie dough onto the baking pans and placed the first trays on the oven racks. While the cookies were baking Mrs. Johansson got out the cups and saucers she used on special occasions. Then she and Hanna made some hot chocolate and dropped a marshmallow into each cup.

As they were sipping the hot chocolate, the aroma of the baking cookies began to fill the kitchen. Hanna listened eagerly as her mother told her about how she had helped her own mother bake cookies. Hanna loved hearing these stories about her grandmother and mother because her mother was always so relaxed and happy when she told these stories.

She told Hanna, “When you are grownup, you too will remember this very special day.”

Then Mr. Johansson came in. “Wow, it’s chocolate day! I could smell your cookies out in the yard. Are they ready yet? I’m always hungry for your mother’s chocolate chip cookies.” As he pulled out a chair at the table, Mrs. Johansson poured him a cup of hot chocolate and then took out a tray of cookies. As the three were sitting at the table eating the warm, gooey cookies and drinking their hot chocolate, Felicia came in.

“I’m sorry Felicia, but I called you several times.”

Seeing the cookies, Felicia realized that she had missed something she had been looking forward to for weeks. Reaching for a cookie and the hot chocolate her mother poured for her, Felicia said, “Next time you call, I promise I’ll come right away!”

Comments

[Cameo]

Venerable, this is a good one! There's no way you can go wrong with the mention of chocolate chip cookies. I like the subtle way that Felicia learned about her mistake. Thank you.
Amituofo,
Cameo

[Jacqueline]

Thank you for this story.It has reminded me that I am often discourteous to my mother, and it has made me realise that in the long run it will be not only my mother but also myself who will suffer because of it.

Namo Amituofo,
Jack

[Sue K]

I just hope they aren't Nestle Choc Chips. They were voted worst corporation on the planet because they use slave labor on the Ivory Coast for their cocao beans. Nestle has also been ruthless with local water suppliers worldwide. There is a request to have them banned from the UN initiatives and they are being sued in LA for major violations.

http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/163085/1/7191

There are multiple stories if you Google "Nestle Human Rights Violations".

I like to vote with my $'s and support good companies.

I thought about not writing these comments, but Buddhism is based on compassion and this is a less pleasant story to learn from. If we know of these things, we can make a difference, if nothing else, in how we make our purchases.

Your story is delightful. My comments are about chocolate chips and Nestle. It is a segway. It is in no way a reflection of your writings.