Sunday, July 15, 2001
|
Sunday, July 15, 2001 |
|
Building the perfect kitchen By DR. KNOX HERNDON We were in the huge Dekor home store in Fayetteville, Georgia. My 12-year-old nephew and me. He and his sister have spent a week or two with me every summer since she was 5. She's 15 now, going on 21. She was shopping. He and I were killing time while she shopped. Everywhere we went we waited for her. Thought we would never get her out of Old Navy. And Kohl's held her for an eternal hour or so. But when we found Dekor, we forgot about her. Don't even remember where she was. This time it was Conrad and I who forgot about the clock. When it was well past time to meet up with her again we hurriedly went in search of LeighAnn. It did us good to see her pacing the floor in front of the door waiting for US. What had us mesmerized was a kitchen display at Dekor. Not just kitchen cabinets but a working kitchen that was set up on the second floor. The biggest refrigerator we had ever seen was there, plus two sets of pullout refrigerator drawers conveniently placed in the rambling kitchen area. There was an awesome stainless steel dishwasher. Two sets of double sinks. Spacious, granite counter tops to accommodate even the messiest cook. A double-stacked oven. A huge commercial range. A unique cook top with a grill and steamer pot and deep fry pot. Unbelievable setup. He and I were in culinary heaven. You'd think it a little odd for a 12-year-old boy to be so mesmerized. Not really. You see, Conrad's granny taught him what a kitchen was for. She showed him early on that it was for cooking up good things for those you love. Good fresh food. Straight from the garden. Corn, tomatoes, squash, beans, peas. And jellies and preserves. Apple, fig, pear, mayhaw, grape, plum ... Cookies, cakes, pies. ... Imagine it coming from a Southern kitchen and this kid's seen it happen. Seen it come off his granny's stove top or out of her oven. Seen her make miracles in the tiniest kitchen in Georgia with only a small stove, sink, refrigerator, and a faithful old table sitting in the middle of the floor that serves as both a counter top for food preparation and an eating surface. His mom's a nurse and his dad works too, so the kids stayed with their granny from the cradle. Anybody who knows Inez Harrell (Granny) knows, however, that there is no one who can outdo her from sun up until sundown. But her work is done at home and in the garden and in the homes of her friends and family, so the kids were always welcome. All day. Any day. Her husband was killed when her four sons were young. She worked hard to bring them up right and taught them how to work, too. She never misses church. She's there Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. A pillar of the community. A prayer warrior for sure. Conrad told me how she can rock in her chair and shell peas and beans and close her eyes and nap at the same time. I knew better. She doesn't nap. She prays. So let's get back to that kitchen at Dekor. Conrad and I were dreaming. Of course I knew it would take the lottery for me to afford such a kitchen as we were admiring and I said so. Thus we fantasized. We built it onto the side of my present home. We built a whole 'nother house and made the kitchen the focal point. We could almost taste all that we would cook. We had a ball. In the car on the way home, Conrad turned to me, "Aunt Jane, if you do win the lottery and you do build that kitchen, can I bring my granny up and let her cook in your kitchen for one week? She wouldn't want anything fancy like that for herself. She would think it was a waste of money, but she deserves it. Besides, she gives everything away to other people who are in need. She doesn't think she needs anything. She's so special and I just wish I could do something special for her." I was speechless for a while. ... ... Is there somebody special in your life for whom you'd like to build the perfect kitchen? Your resources may be limited too, but there is nothing to keep you from at least telling them what you think and how you feel. Do it soon. You never know how soon it may be too late.
|
||