Cooking Lesson

         Sara surveyed the disaster. She wanted to sit and cry. The first time she attempts to make dinner for her new in-laws and it turns out like this. Some way to impress your in-laws, especially Peggy who was a talented cook. Peggy was going to be sure her son had made a terrible mistake, marrying Sara.

         The chicken looked like something the cat dragged in, got a good look at and dragged out again. She followed the recipe but this was the result.

         Her mother did not like kids in the kitchen and so never taught her to cook. Not that she had asked to be taught. The in-laws would be arriving and there was nothing to set before them.

         Peggy walked in. She took a look around. “Oh dear,” she said. “Well these things happen.”

         “But I wanted to have it nice for Peter when you came the first time.”

         “All right, all right. There’s tricks to the trade I can show you. “

         “Nothing can save that chicken and I burned the potatoes and —”

         “Now it is time to let you in on a cook’s best kept secret. Get your coat.”

         “My coat?”

         “Yes, come along. Our guys are glued to their football game so they won’t know the difference.”

         They parked at a local strip mall. “Here we are,” said Peggy. “Boston Market. My hero and rescuer more times than I would admit to anybody else.”

         Sara felt her heart warming up Peggy. “Thank you for sharing your cooking secrets!”

         “Think nothing of it. I’ll show you where I buy my famous sauce. “

         “I thought you cooked from scratch.”

         “I can and I used to.”

         “Can I call you Mom?“ Sara asked.

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