Looking for Penguins

Every day after school, Adam and I would come home and look in the icebox.  As we grew into men with wives and children of our own, coming home for visits, we continued to look in the icebox. 

On one visit to see Mom, I committed a serious breach of civility.  I looked in the icebox before kissing her “hello”.

To Mom it seemed that I was more concerned with feeding my face than I was with seeing her.  And she let me know about it.

Fortunately for me though, Adam arrived about the same time.  He gave Mom a hug and a peck on her cheek and said, “Hello.”  

Then he proceeded to the icebox.  As he opened it, Mom yelled at him, “What are you looking for in there?” 

Her eyes were on fire.  And if she could have spit fire I’m certain she would have done that too.

Adam looked at me because he knew that I had done “something wrong” before he had gotten there and Adam was certain he was catching the blame for it now. I just looked down at my feet.

“Well?” Mom shouted.

“I was looking for penguins,” Adam calmly replied.

In complete exasperation Mom turned and walked away.  I had to fight off a chuckle. 

As for Adam, he shrugged his shoulders, and continued to look for penguins.