When I got there, he was standing in line crying. He doesn't like their chocolate milk (he says it tastes like coffee) and Mrs. Wilson wouldn't let him bring his water from his backpack. But he quickly got over it once I arrived, and we went through the line. . . got our pizza sticks (which were mozzarella cheese sticks that were breaded and baked), pizza dipping sauce, corn, applesauce and chocolate milk. He paid for his meal using his account, and I paid for mine using cash. A whopping $3.50 for the adult portion (which was the exact same thing as the kid portion).
And let me just say. . . I don't remember the food tasting that bad. Yuk! The pizza sauce was nothing more than a can of tomato sauce, so it was a little tangy and bitter. The pizza sticks, as I said, were breaded mozzarella sticks, the corn had zero flavor. The applesauce was the best thing on the plate. And the chocolate milk. Oh how I remember my love for school chocolate milk in the little 8oz cartons. Yummy! Not anymore. I have to disagree with JD about the taste though. I didn't taste like coffee - it tasted like chocolate-flavored cardboard. These poor children - they're missing out on the good stuff we used to drink!
The real highlight of the day came as we were paying for our trays in line -- JD bought himself, for the first time, a snack coupon for 75 cents. That meant that after he ate, he could go pick out an ice cream snack. He was so excited as he walked up to the big refrigerated bin of ice cream heaven. His eyes huge, his mouth watering. He examined his options for a few moments, finally stuck his hand in, and pulled out a Neapolitan ice cream sandwich. He turned around and looked at me with the biggest grin on his face.
We went back to the table where he opened the package and quickly ate the entire thing, other than the one bite he shared with me. I just loved watching him enjoy that ice cream sandwich. He looked so content amongst all the craziness of 5-year-old lunch time. He loves ice cream, and he loves having his mom sit with him at lunch. I'm still COOL enough that he likes to have me around in front of his friends. He even kissed me, hugged me (leaving his little chocolate fingerprints on my back), sat on my lap, and took a picture with me.
When our time was over and he had to go back to class, he gave me a big hug and said goodbye. But when we pulled apart, I noticed he was biting his lip -- trying really hard not to cry. But he couldn't hold it in for long. A few tears escaped his eyes, and it broke my heart but also made my heart smile. Because that only meant that he loved me and didn't want me to leave him. I walked with him as far as I could then said I Love You and watched him walk down the hall, concealing my own tears the best I could. Then I turned, walked back to the parking lot to head back to work . . . .with a smile on my face and chocolate fingerprints on my back.
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