A Year of Living Dangerously

(by Désirée Willmes)

“Where is the basket with the food?” Mom asked when I walked into the door of our home in Andreasberg, a 400-soul village in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. I blushed but didn’t answer. Cleaning her hands on her apron, she asked again in a much sterner tone, “Where is the basket with the food?”

My abuela, who was living with us, stepped in. “Why do you raise your voice, Victoria?”

“I will tell you what happened. Your granddaughter has been daydreaming again and forgot the food basket somewhere. She is going to turn around right now, hop back on the bus, and she'd better come back with that basket.” She gave me a little push and turning to my grandmother said, “The girl needs to learn that food is sacred.”