Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers March Slice a Day Challenge! I’m slicing every day this month. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

I’m travel-tired and waiting in the crowded Olive Garden lobby. They said a half an hour, but It’s been almost an hour. The kids keep passing the buzzer around, hoping that someone will be the lucky one to make it buzz.

I wish I had my notebook, but I don’t. So, I’ll have to write in my head.

I wonder if it would be mean for me to mention that it looks like I’ve gone back in time. It seems a little like 1990 here.

I also wonder… why do I have so many Olive Garden memories? That seems odd.

But, while I’m waiting, I remember…

… I was 15 or so, and I was allowed to take a few friends out to Olive Garden for my birthday. We must have been dropped off. Did my parents give me $60? 

… Sometime after college when they were building the new Olive Garden in my hometown — we were so excited that one was finally opening. 

… In-service days with the incredible-elusive-to-teachers-lunch-out! Unlimited salad,  breadsticks, and laughter — and a few mints before heading back to the next 3 hours of work. 

…Meeting a friend for lunch, with my 8-month-old daughter.  She sat chewing on a breadstick, while I talked to my newly pregnant friend. I looked over and my baby was choking on that breadstick. Thankfully, she was okay. I frowned and said, “Welcome to motherhood?”

…Going out to dinner with my mother-in-law. She would order the salad dressing on the side and then use her fork and knife to toss the bowl for all of us. We laughed and grimaced at the rudeness. Now I order the dressing on the side and miss my mother-in-law who isn’t with us anymore. 

And we are up. Off to the table. Now I guess I can add “Late, long wait, dinner in Indiana with Granny and Bop” on my list of Olive Garden memories.