My husband Steven and our son Alex were sitting at the dinner table. I passed Steven the bowl of rice. “By the way, I made extra rice so we can have it tomorrow with a beef stir fry I’m making.”
Steven took the bowl from me and began serving himself. “Wow. There’s a lot of rice here.”
I was confused. “That’s because I made extra for the stir fry I’m making tomorrow.” I repeated.
Steven nodded his head and passed the bowl to Alex.
It was the next day, when my stir fry was almost cooked, that I went to the refrigerator to get the leftover rice. Moving items out of the way I searched the shelves.
Steven came into the kitchen. “Boy, something sure smells good.”
“Have you seen the leftover rice from last night?” I was still searching.
“I had it last night with my soup.” Steven said as he went over to the pan on the stove and gave the stir fry a mix before before reaching in to grab a slice of green pepper.
“Ugh!” I slammed the refrigerator closed. “I told you yesterday that I was going to use that with tonight’s dinner!” I stormed over to the cabinet to get the bag of rice out. “Now I’ve got to make a whole new batch.” I slammed the bag of rice on the counter and angrily tugged at the drawer where the pots were.
“I’m sorry. I heard you say you made extra.” Steven took the pot out of my hands before I could slam it on the stove. “I must of stopped listening after that. Don’t worry. I’ll make the rice.”
“It’s not just that.” I sighed as I turned the stir fry off and leaned against the counter. “I try and plan meals ahead of time, making extra pasta or vegetables so I can use it in another meal and they just keep disappearing before I get a chance to use them.”
Alex came out to the kitchen. “Something sure smells good.”
“Well, dinner’s not going to be for another twenty minutes.”
“I forgot and ate the leftover rice.” Steven said as he began to pour the rice in a measuring cup.
Alex went over to the drawer, pulled out some blue painters tape, and handed it to me. “I keep telling you to use this. I put the date on it and tape it to my containers in the fridge.”
Steven looked over as he poured the water in the pan. “I think that’s a good idea.” He nodded over at the tape. “When it’s late and I’m hungry I forget what’s being saved and what isn’t.”
“You’re right.” I said as I took the tape from him. I opened the refrigerator and began putting piece of tape on all the containers I wanted for other meals. “Anything with blue tape on it is off limits!” I called over my shoulder.
Satisfied that I’d gotten everything in the refrigerator I moved to the pantry.
Several minutes later I returned to the kitchen. “I think I got everything.” I sighed as I put the tape back in the drawer. I looked over at Alex. “I feel a lot better. Thanks for thinking of it.”
“No problem.” He patted me on the shoulder.
“The rice is ready!” Steven began spooning it in the bowl.
“Perfect.” I turned the heat back on the stir-fry. “This should only take a few minutes.”
Steven put the bowl of rice on the table. “I forgot my water glass in the living room.”
He came back with his water glass in one hand and the television remote in the other. “Why is there blue tape on the remote?”
I looked over and smiled. “Because there’s a movie I want to watch later and I’m claiming the television.”
Steven looked over at Alex who shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know what to say.”
Slice of Life 