Mrs. Moylan

Mrs. Moylan was a friend of my mother’s.

She had a gazillion kids.

She was ALWAYS pregnant.

That has nothing to do with this story, actually, so I don’t know why I’m relating it.

Except that’s how I remember her.

She and my mother would often trade babysitting favors for each other.

I liked it when Mrs. Moylan would babysit me because it meant I got to go to their house.

And it usually included lunch.

This led to a little game we played.

It went like this:

She would say, “It’s time for lunch! What would you like?”

Then she would list my choices—PB&J sandwich, tuna salad sandwich, bologna sandwich, cheese sandwich, or……..egg salad sandwich with the crusts cut off. (My mother was in favor of crusts. I didn’t agree with this philosophy.)

Mrs. Moylan knew I was going to ask for egg salad, even though I knew I shouldn’t have it, and she knew she was going to offer it.

But we went through this ruse every time!

And then, after I had eaten the sandwich she would say in mock horror, “Oh no! You’re not supposed to have eggs! I forgot! Don’t tell your mother! It will be our little secret!” And she would wink.

Except I would hear her telling my mother when she came to pick me up, so I knew it was a game we all played.

I remember thinking how silly grownups were.

But I got an egg salad sandwich out of it!