Mama's Hot Cocoa

 

Margie: These cold winters surely make my old bones ache, sister, but I thank you for making me this warm nightgown. It's warm to my body. 

Edna, do you remember when Mama and Grandma would make us that good hot cocoa in the wintertime? My stars, that stuff would warm us through and through. They didn't use an old mix either. Remember?

Edna:  How could I forget?  It was so warm and lovely, and you know how I love my chocolate!  I remember how Mama used to make it special for us, and she'd put in broken peppermints or old pieces of candy cane.  Remember how we used to find bits of cellophane at the bottom of the cup?  We never told Mama, though, because we didn't want her to stop making us that delicious treat.

Margie: I do remember and I felt so loved when I saw that cup of cocoa. You know how I love marshmallows and Mama would always put an extra one in my cup. Nobody makes hot cocoa like that anymore.

Edna:  Well, that's certainly true.  Everything today is "instant" this, and "easy" that.  It's times like this that I really miss the old-fashioned ways.  And Mama, of course.

Thank you for reminding me of such a wonderful memory, sister.  Maybe we should make some of Mama's hot cocoa right now, it sure would warm us both up.

Margie: What a wonderful idea! Edna, please don't sling sugar all over my new nightgown. You always did that when Mama wasn't looking then she'd wonder why the floor was so gritty.

Edna:  Typical.  Why are you so bound and determined to ruin a nice conversation with some kind of crabby remark?  Just drink your cocoa, sister, and be glad I don't dump it in your lap.

Mama and the sheet music

Edna: Margie, do you remember in Mama's will how she specifically left her vanity table to me? You know, the one she'd had since she was a young girl?

Margie: Edna, I certainly do know about Mama's vanity table. She always loved it so. I also know how you twisted her arm so you could get it.

Edna: Do you want to hear why I brought this up or not, sister? Because I certainly don't have to tell you about what I found if you're going to be snippy.

Margie: Tell it, Edna. What did you find? Money?

Edna: Trust me, if it had been money, I wouldn't be telling you about it. No, it was sheet music! I dropped my earring on the floor this morning, and when I was picking it up I noticed some papers sticking out of the back of the drawer. My lands, I was so surprised that I pulled them right out to see what they were. There were several pieces of sheet music and a note to me. Mercy, you'll never believe what that note said.

Margie: Edna, if it said for you to sing then I'm leaving now. You sound like Ernest Tubb with a bucket over his head when you try to sing.

Edna: I swear, you could try the patience of a saint! The note was from Mama to me, and it said that she had an embarrassing secret from her younger days, and it had to do with this music. She said that when she was younger, she fell in with a fast crowd of musicians, and that she was the belle of the group. And some of them were so inspired by her that they wrote some music about her. My lands, I doubt Daddy knew about this, some of this music is downright scandalous!

Margie: Lawsy me, Edna! No, Daddy surely didn't know. You best hide that note and music lest it fall into the wrong hands. I won't have people talking about my mama. You got that? This is private business.

But Mama didn't even go to college!

Mama was definitely sweet to us girls and Daddy...

"Eve wasn't modest till she ate that apple; We'll have to pass the apples again"
Edna: Oh no, Mama was a hussy just like Margie!