I'll Have What He's Having

Sometimes there is something so trivial, so minor, that at the time, you have no idea just how much it will change the rest of your life. That is exactly what happened with a piece of triple layer chocolate cake from Denny’s. My five-year-old son, Scott, ordered said cake. When he took that first bite, his world seemed to just stop. He savored that bite and his eyes practically rolled to the back of his head.

My brain went to the strangest place ever. Like if my brain had Tourette’s, this was the time for it. It went to When Harry Met Sally. Do you know that scene where Meg Ryan’s character fakes a “you-know-what” right in the middle of a restaurant? And then I laughed. Out loud. Again and again. Which made Scott repeat his actions. Now I’m laughing so hard that I have tears in my eyes. My husband doesn’t understand what is so funny. I can’t tell him why I’m laughing because of how inappropriate this is. And I did try to whisper. It was just that every time I tried to tell Steve, I would start laughing all over again. Scott finally finishes his cake, I finally calm down, and we finally leave. I never did tell my husband in private why I thought that was so funny either. Steve didn’t have a sense of humor, so there was really no point anyhow.

Now fast forward to a couple of weeks later at our Thanksgiving table. I have no idea what prompted Scott to tell his brother, “Watch this!” At that point he got my attention, bit into his pumpkin pie and rolled his eyes to the back of his head. I thought I was going to spit whatever food was in my mouth right across the table. I lost it – again! I could not stop laughing – again! Uncle John asked my husband what was wrong with me. My husband told him that he didn’t know and that no one would be able to get anything out of me for the next half hour. That was true. My sister wanted to know what was so funny. I did try to tell her. But once again, each time I would try to say it, I would just start laughing all over again.

These shenanigans continued for many years. They were random, and anyone could just get me laughing from “enjoying” their food at such extremes. My son, Scott, would beg me to explain why it was so funny. I just couldn’t tell him. There are some things that a mom just doesn’t share with her child. This was one of them. During their teenage years, my boys would put their friends up to getting me to laugh with this too. I just never knew when it would happen.

My children eventually grew up and moved out and on with their lives. We all live in separate states, but we keep in contact constantly. When Scott was about 25, he called me. He said, “Mom! I watched When Harry Met Sally last night.” I didn’t know where he was going with this at the time, and I just thought he was making conversation. When he didn’t get the response from me that he wanted, he repeated what he said.

“I heard you.” I said.

“Yes. But do you know what I’m getting at? I know why you laugh when I eat chocolate cake! Mom! How could you?” I could totally hear him pointing a finger at me across the phone lines.

“Ha! See? That is exactly why I couldn’t tell you! Love you, Scott!”