The Inside Scoop – The VS Corner

And now introducing . . .

So many of the Vitality Stories readers have powerful, insightful and often funny stories they graciously share in response to some of the VS newsletters. With their permission, I’m starting the Vitality Stories Corner (VS Corner) so we can all benefit from our shared life experiences and laughs.

Recently I shared my What the Cantaloupe?! Inside Scoop, and for the next three days, I laughed as readers sent me emails and shared their own “treats gone wrong” experiences.

In today’s world, we need laughter breaks more than ever, and I hope you get a laugh out of two of my favorite responses.

They Went Coconuts by David Prater

“I remember when I worked for the Telephone Company, and I supervised six people. One of them, David D., and his wife had a baby, and we had a shower for them in the office. I wasn’t really clued in on what was appropriate for a baby gift, so I got her a coconut. It was in the crusty brown fibers that come out of the original full shell. Some people were aghast. I thought it was pretty clever, and there wasn’t another coconut gift from anyone else. I sort of like the original.

I still think about giving coconut gifts but I ask my wife now if it’s a good idea.  So far, no other coconut gifts.”

Just Desserts by Cathey Graham Nickell

“My favorite darling grandmother (Mom’s mom)–we called her “Ma”–was very hip. She drove a yellow Volkswagen beetle, drank beer, and smoked ciggies. I thought that was very racy compared to my nice straight-laced parents!

So, Ma was my favorite. She managed a retail clothing store, so she was busy during the week, but every Friday night she came over and brought us a TREAT. It was usually a piece of candy, and I remember she would walk in with that tiny brown paper bag, and we’d start jumping up and down because Mom didn’t give us much candy.

So, it was one Friday afternoon, around age 5 . . . I knew I was never allowed to cross the street alone. I always had to hold my mom’s hand. But I really wanted to see a boat up close that was parked in the driveway across the street at my neighbor’s house.  Mom’s hand to hold wasn’t around right then, but my little sister Ginger’s hand was! Ginger was only 3 years old–Ha Ha!  Perfect!

Ginger said, “Cathey, we’re not allowed” . . . But I convinced her that it was okay so long as we were holding hands. See? I thought I’d found a loophole. But of course, I hadn’t. As soon as we crossed and reached the lovely boat, Mom came running outside. We were caught red-handed, and we were punished.

The punishment was that we wouldn’t get Ma’s treat. This was literally the worst thing you could have done to us. We begged and pleaded, but Mom wouldn’t relent. My Mom was always Mother of the Year which meant she stuck to whatever she said! So when Ma came over that night, we were sent to our rooms with no treat.

To this day, I remember Ginger and I watching Mom and Dad LICKING OUR LOLLIPOPS! They made a big deal of it, too. Knowing they had an audience peeking from the corner, Mom and Dad relished those lollipops. Ginger and I took one look and ran back into our rooms sobbing. Then, I remember, we went back again one more time to look around the corner, just to see if it was really true. It was. The other three kids got theirs, but Mom and Dad were eating mine and Ginger’s.

I remember Ma gave me a sad look and looked down at the ground.  She didn’t like the punishment, but she couldn’t argue with her daughter, aka/ Mother of the Year!  LOL. It still makes me laugh. I’m pretty sure I learned my lesson.”

Thanks, David and Cathey for the laughs.

Friends, until next time, thanks for being you!!

I met David Prater when I was looking to buy a house in Seattle. From the second I met him at an open house, we clicked, and we’ve been friends ever since. He is full of wonderful stories. He often makes me laugh, and he inspires me to be a better person. If you walk down the street with him, he’ll pick up any trash he sees and take it to the next trash can he sees, and he always has a smile on his face.

Cathey Graham Nickell is a speaker and author based in Houston, Texas. Her children’s picture book, Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car, appeals to both children and adults and is award-winning. Cathey has a talent for finding niche stories. She tirelessly visits schools nationwide to inspire children to “be amazing” and to create their ideas. She has some amazing stories up her sleeve, so keep an eye on her future release