bugs in the flour...and other foods....

Let's say it is the mid-1970s.... we are in a suburban, ranch-style home,... near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.  It is summer time.  My niece, three weeks younger than I, is staying with us.  Gail Ann.  We watch Sesame Street several times a day,...it is on every 3 hours, more or less.... all day until evening. We ride bikes, and at some point for a week or longer, we go on a trip to visit relatives, and we go sightseeing.  That is all neither here, nor there, this story is about macaroni and cheese. 

At some point, previous to Gails arrival, we have discovered that there are some kind of bugs in flour and noodle products in our pantry.  The conversation with my mother was this:

"MOM! There are bugs in the flour! gross!!!"

"Oh dear. It's protein, just use it anyway." and some story about being a kid in the Depression.....eating whatever was available, because their dad was a farmer,...endless meals of turnips, some such,... (lima beans may have been mentioned).

and me thinking: 'is she kidding!?'

The flour was thrown into the trash.  That was all.  

Back to lunch: 

So, our second viewing of Sesame Street drawing to a close, and we were hungry, Gail and I.

"What can we eat?"

"Macaroni and cheese!"

"Cool."

and off we go to the pantry. .... We set a kettle of water to boil, and opened the mac and cheese package.  

"What is that!?"

I look into the box,.... "it's a flour bug."

Gail: "What do we do?"

So, I tell her the story about my mom saying that it's okay to eat it anyway, because the bugs are protein and they won't hurt us. 

"So, it's okay. Right?" 

Gail nods in assent, and we proceed to boil the noodles and bugs.... and add the butter, milk, and cheese powder, ....and stir that up real good.

And we dish it out, each taking a large portion into our bowls.  We head off to the living room to eat our mac and cheese.... and, looking at each other, we both put a spoonful of macaroni and cheese into our mouths....

....

...

...

...

...

and spit it out again!! 

"OH! Gross!!! I cannot eat this! It has BUGS in it." We both proclaim,... and into the trash that mac and cheese goes....

Later, when we tell her about all of this, my Mother just smiles at us and walks away.....

I never did find out if she was serious about us actually eating the bugs....

...

...

...

.

.

.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12..... 

Lord, I do miss Sesame Street as it was back then...........

.

.

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

Sunny Day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get?
How to get to Sesame Street

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That's where we meet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street

.

.

.