Family Stories

and Trivia

Stories by Sabrina Gosselin

Breakfast at the Pig Stand

I remember many summertime visits to my granddad (Rod) in Dallas. Often he would take me out to breakfast at the Pig Stand, where he was a regular.  He always ordered eggs over easy, sliced tomato and coffee. One particular summer (I must've been about 8 or 9), we were visiting simultaneously with Rachael's family.  Granddad took the whole gang of us out for breakfast.  Between Rachael's family and Rodene's family, we occupied several tables.  My sister, Anna, and cousins Rod (Anderson) and Tait sat closest to me.  I ordered my favorite ... oatmeal with lots of brown sugar.  When the food arrived, I dug in eagerly.  I ate almost half the bowlful before realizing there were way too many little black things in my oatmeal to be dismissed.  With horror, it became apparent that my oatmeal had BUGS in it!  My cousins and siblings thought this was hilarious, especially Rod.  For the next couple of days he teased me incessantly about my Weevil Feast.  I will never forget how grossed out I felt when I realized I had eaten bugs.  Today, it is one of my most amusing memories.  I chuckle to myself every time I think about it.

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"Quietus "

Your leather, olive face

tan from years

of nurturing tomatoes, squash,

cucumbers big as Texas lumber,

and your seven precious grandchildren.

Your eyes

bright as fireflies

lighting up the summer night.

Your Old Spice and

cigarette

warm embrace,

strong as a century.

Now

they have painted

away

your Lebanese brown,

Polished nicotine stains

from the teeth

that used to jump from

your jaw

startling me into laughter.

Now

you lay

mute as wax,

still as an altar.

Now

a vacuum vast as your travels

collapses me.

"Quietus" was written in honor of Rod Tayar (1912--1996) by his granddaughter, Sabrina Gosselin after his memorial service in Oklahoma City.

Even after a long and full life, we shall miss him dearly.