Macaroni and Cheese Isn’t So Bad

via The Ninth Life
Author: K.L. Register

Who’s ever met a dentist who didn’t love to talk? Well there may be a few party poppers out there, but I’m certainly not one of them. While at the office, I absolutely adore talking to my patients about everything under the sun. There’s not many topics I can’t or won’t talk about. My patients and I indulge in daily conversations about life, travel, news, fashion, entertainment, sports, food, and let me dare not forget: teeth.

Well, a few days ago a patient and I were discussing foods that we each disliked. And anyone who really knows me knows there is one food I absolutely dislike the taste of: macaroni and cheese. So of course, I didn’t have a problem telling her that it was my least favorite food. And she didn’t bite her tongue responding back with, “Doc, you aren’t really Southern if you don’t like macaroni and cheese.”

“What?” My southern accent and southern ego had both been insulted.

Who could be anymore Southern than I was?

I was born and raised on a farm in the deepest part of Georgia. If you go any further South, well if you stayed awake in geography class, you already know where you would end up. Obviously she didn’t know that I had grown up along side chickens, hogs, and goats. Obviously she didn’t know I had tasted fruit from the trees of the Garden of Eden. And, yes the fruit was delicious! At that very moment, she had me questioning my own “Southern-icity.” (You didn’t recognize that word, did you? Yeah, I just made that one up.) After several hours of reflection, I did what any other normal person would do. I pulled out my laptop to do a bit of research. It was time to take this one to Facebook.

Login. Type. Post. Too late. It was done.

My post was pretty simple. It read, ‘A patient said, “Doc, you really aren’t Southern if you don’t like macaroni and cheese.” Do you like macaroni and cheese? Yes or No.’

After a few minutes of hearing nothing but crickets, people began posting their responses. There were a hand full of folks who said they didn’t like it at all. Most said that they did. Some agreed they liked to eat it hot! Some said they liked to eat it cold! People reported they liked it with bacon. A few agreed they liked it with lobster. Some said the more cheese the merrier. One said, she liked hers with ketchup.

KETCHUP! My tongue just quivered!

There were those who believed, “it was so important to the southern diet that most soul food restaurants considered it a vegetable.” And, there were those who couldn’t deny enjoying it but reported staying away from it because it went straight to their butt. Hmm! It all makes sense now, that’s the real reason why I don’t have one. Forgive me! I digress!

Who knew that one simple food would make women question their parenting skills in response to their teenagers true confession of not liking it after many years of preparation? I felt so sorry for those poor innocent kids, confessions to momma are never easy. And here is the kicker: Can you believe someone had the nerve to describe it as, “the delicious comfort of goodness that soothes your soul”? Now folks, that one line almost made my taste buds a believer.

Almost 90 comments later, it really didn’t matter that those in favor of the faint colored noodles topped with “bubbling crispy cheese” had dominated and won the vote. For minutes, I just sat on my bed staring at my laptop screen with great amazement. My heart was in awe of the beauty of people from all over the country with different backgrounds, religious views, purposes, values, economic class, and race coming together as a united community to express their individual beliefs with humor, honesty, and respect. If people as a whole, would listen to each other, respect one another, and work together to achieve common dreams, then our society, nation, and world would be a much more peaceful place. Hmm? With the the hope of greater world peace and good will,

With Love, K. L. ❤

Photo credit: CarbonNYC [in SF!] / IWoman / CC BY

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Hello Minions!  I’d love to know if and how you like your Mac and Cheese, take the poll while it is open!