Thank You Jalapeño

On Sunday afternoon, Raycito came into the kitchen where I was chopping up a fresh jalapeño. "You need to get dressed to go to church for the dedication in a half hour buddy" I said. The spicy fumes from the jalapeño wafted up into my mouth and nose as I spoke and suddenly caught my throat.

Ray pulled out old Boo Radley and argued "NO! I don't want to go to the dedication. I'm not going. I hate Sunday clothes! There is no way I am going. I don't have to!"

We had already had this conversation. I wasn't excited about the repeat argument. "You are going. Do not argue with me. You are going to go downstairs and get dressed and don't give me any more problems about it!" I argued back.

But my voice sounded funny, like I was about to cry, and the jalapeño fumes got into my eyes and they started to water as I spoke. My face felt a little red and hot from trying to gasp out the words through a wind pipe partially closed off.

Ray was a little startled and he looked up into my face quizzically. He hesitated a moment and said "I'm sorry Mom. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm so sorry. I'll get dressed."

"Hmm." I cocked my head to the side, realizing he'd mistaken that the argument had brought me to tears.

"Thank you jalapeño!" I thought to myself with a smile as Ray hurried downstairs to change.


I might need to use you more often.