Special Delivery From The Other Side Of The Cul-de-Sac
Recently, our cul-de-sac was full of kids. My grandchildren hung out with neighbors as their collective children joined in an afternoon of epic play. Little Tike scooters were manually propelled with busy little legs adjacent to basketball lobs from 3-point range. Meanwhile, sidewalk chalk formations were on full display. Everything from a very impressionistic drawing of a lion to flower-flanked rainbows came alive on my driveway. The scene before me was reminiscent of years ago when my kids bebopped around with their neighborhood friends.
As I observed the bountiful energy outside my kitchen window, I saw from the other side of the cul-de-sac our neighbor come from around the corner of his house towards the mayhem with a plate in hand. Could it be? Sweet toothed memories could only hope that beneath the plastic wrap of this plate was a mountain of scrumptious pleasures. In other words, I could only hope this was a delivery of THE cookies.
This neighbor and his wife have lived in the same house on the other side of the cul-de-sac for almost as long as we’ve lived in our house. For over 30 years, we’ve shared neighborly space. There’s a comfortable and dependable ease in sharing street space with good neighbors. From pleasant catch up conversations during Sunday afternoon yard work to SOS calls to check and make sure I took the simmering soup off the stove, neighbors often save the world.
As I watched my neighbor approach our house with a plate of very familiar cookies, I rested in nostalgia. You see, this neighbor’s wife is known for her chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know she does it, but her cookies look like they should be featured in a Bon Appetit photo shoot. And they taste even better. I’ve made a batch of chocolate chip cookies or two over the years I can honestly tell you my cookies look nothing like hers. Imagine a cookie that proudly congeals while cooking so that the end result is pillowy, one-bite wonder combining the perfect ratio of density and flavor. Literally, they melt in your mouth. Contrast this visual with my version of the chocolate chip cookie which is historically flat, somewhat opaque in the middle, and chip-less for bites at a time. In other words, when you eat my chocolate chip cookie, part of you might wonder what kind of cookie is this?
So, when I say my neighbor came around the corner of his house carrying the very familiar delivery, I could already feel my mouth watering. I almost intercepted him so that I could hijack the cookies for myself, but instead, I saw several of my kids pounce on the generous offering. They remembered with affection the multitude of times these same cookies showed up on the other side of a doorbell ring. This delivery, just like those in the old days, was welcomed with delight. And now, my grandkids had the opportunity to experience the cookie treats baked on the other side of the cul-de-sac.
Love can be expressed in infinite ways. Food is certainly one very effective way to the heart. Cookies are especially operative in extending a yummiest version of good will. On this particular afternoon, the plate of cookies hardly made it inside. My kids transported themselves back to the day when they owned the cul-de-sac fun. Subsequently, they binged on the cookies upon arrival, just like they used to do. Some things never change. In the case of such cookie deliveries, the world is made a much sweeter place. At least in our neck of the cul-de-sac, never underestimate the power of the plate filled with cookies. Thanks Nancy. Your sweet offerings are etched forever in our play-filled neighborhood memories.