Thirty four years ago, Frank and I had been married less than a year, we had just returned from living in Edmonton, Alberta and were putting our apartment together and enjoying the June sun in Akron, Ohio.
Robin called me and asked if I would babysit for her daughter, Allyson, in exchange for a basket of strawberries.
Now, whilst in Edmonton, I had missed ALL of my family. I was homesick for reasonable weather conditions and for all the familiarity of home and loved ones- BUT– I had really missed the time watching my sister’s baby girl grow up.
So, I didn’t even hesitate and said YES!!!
I would have done it for the pure joy of the baby- but the strawberries sounded like a great payment, as well.
Robin brought her over and put her into my arms. I held her for the next four hours ( if I put her down she looked around, saw her mother wasn’t there and started crying!) . I was so happy to be back home, to have that precious baby entrusted to me for a little while, to be in the United States, with my sisters and brothers and mother close at hand. I still remember how the world seemed to be a beautiful place.
Yesterday, I got a call from that baby, now almost 35 years old, asking if I would babysit for her foster baby, Nico, in exchange for a basket of strawberries.
Again- no hesitation whatsoever.
“Yes.”
So, I got to hold and feed a two week old baby and feast on strawberries, afterward.
And – really- my world is a beautiful place.
Great story, Heidi, thanks.. 🙂
I’m sure you enjoyed both babies and both baskets of strawberries.
Did Allison know about the strawberries, or was that purely coincidence? What a great story!
She may have known- I’m a pretty constant storyteller, but in this instance, I don’t think the offer came from anything but the circumstances.
They both wanted to pick strawberries without carrying a baby along in the fields with them and the strawberries were the obvious exchange.
I didn’t even mention it to her while it was taking place, things just started falling in place in my mind as we were devouring the fresh strawberries after they left.
Great story. Thanks for telling it. I told Allison I would be glad to make the same exchange with her!
Beautiful – what a joy to have history repeat itself….love babies, love strawberries!
Babies, strawberries, almost 35- year-old women…..sweet life!
Memories are sometimes the sweetest when they include food.
Thank you all for sharing in this memory by commenting. BTW- Allyson- the strawberries are all gone. Sigh- they don’t last long around here.
Sniff, sniff. Doesn’t surprise me though. The woman and I have a lot in common. I will have to do the exchange again, since you’re out of strawberries. I’m not out of baby yet.