Banana Blues

As a youngster, I had an ongoing case of severe BDS (Banana Deprivation Syndrome).  Dad did all the grocery shopping.  He'd bring home cases of apples, peaches and other in-season fruit - but bananas?  Virtually never.  Guess he didn't like 'em much.

God, how I envied my neighbor and classmate, Bob - that rascal seemed to always have a banana in his school lunchbox.  Mom always put carrots or kohlrabi or some other blah garden vegetable in mine.  I'd watch Bob snarf down his banana, jealous as hell.  Don't recall him ever offering to swap his banana for my carrots, either. Selfish little bugger.

Church bingo/potlucks were the only social events back in the day, and I really looked forward to them.  We kids would tear around outside while the adults played bingo, returning inside when it was time to eat.  And the eats were delicious: hot dishes, decadent desserts and strawberry jello - with bananas!

Nowadays, I do the grocery shopping and there's always bananas in the fruit basket on the kitchen counter.  First thing in the morning - every morning - it's banana time!  That's been the routine for 4 decades.  Although my BDS is in remission I still feel its presence.  It's there alright, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the day I forget to stock up on bananas before setting up camp in a remote area.

Just the thought of it makes me twitch.