Fiction: The Seven Spoon Sisters
By Julie C. Judes
arttimesjournal.com November 11, 2021
There were eight of us originally, eight beautiful, polished, shiny spoons. We all shared the same elegant, fluted design on our bottoms. We sat one atop the other in the scarlet velvet lined silverware drawer, waiting to be removed to be used for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. Next to us sat the forks, the knives, and the larger serving spoons and forks.
Well, let me introduce myself. My name is Sylviana. I consider myself the most beautiful of us spoon sisters, bearing no scratches or nicks at all. I love to be removed from the drawer to be used to scoop ice cream into dessert dishes, preferably chocolate mint chip with sprinkles on top. Actually, I am happy to help serve almost any dessert item, including rice pudding with cinnamon and hot fruit compotes. It gives me happiness to feel I am delivering joy into the mouths of the family.
However, I simply cannot describe the disgust I felt when I was recently utilized as a weapon in the children’s food fight. I felt so disrespected to be used to launch peas, lima beans, and from one child to another, the vegetables often splatting against the dining room wallpaper. I was then tossed on the floor as Mother reprimanded the brats. What humiliation!
Excuse me, I don’t wish to appear self-centered. Let me introduce my sisters:
Stella: As much as I love her, I must confide that Stella has a bit of an issue with water stains left on her after being removed from the dishwasher. She does not calm down until she is used to stir cream into a coffee mug, which removes the stains. She likes to be used to stir hot chocolate, especially with whipped cream on top.
Susanna: Poor Susanna is bent a bit, as she was used in one of the children’s magic tricks. No, Travis was not able to bend her with his mind, he bent her with his grubby hands, leaving Susanna a bit mutilated. She is a good sport, though, and enjoys being used to scoop crunchy style peanut butter out of the jar.
Sally: Sally likes to be used to help Mother when she prepares cakes and cookies, helping to stir ingredients. She doesn’t mind the flour-sugar-butter-baking powder-egg-vanilla extract mess that occurs with mixing but loves to be an agent of creativity.
Sandra: Sandra has a bit of a phobia of being in the dishwasher, as she did incur a few scratches from the experience on one occasion. We have all tried to reassure her that there is nothing to fear with the noise, dishwashing powder, water sprays, and jiggling around in the rack, but she does not feel at ease until the whole procedure has been completed and she is cooling down and ready to be returned to the silverware drawer. Once she has relaxed, she enjoys spooning gravy into mouths, especially at Thanksgiving – it makes her feel special.
Sheila: Sheila is an early bird. She loves to shovel cereal, especially granola, into the family’s mouths for breakfast. She doesn’t mind being used to spoon in oatmeal, but she feels it is not as much fun as granola, especially with raisins and almonds.
Simona: Simona loves to ladle soups into mouths – minestrone, chicken noodle, chili, or pea soup. She simply cannot stand, however, being used to scrape leftovers into Tupperware containers or grease out of frying pans. She feels it is beneath her dignity.
Sabrina: Rest in Peace, sweet Sabrina! You who had feelings for Freddie the Fork, lying next to you in the silverware drawer. You who had loved spooning honey into the children’s mouths. You who had not minded if you were stacked on the bottom or top of us sisters in the drawer. You who had fallen into the garbage disposal that awful night. We heard the screeching, the grinding of your silver, and knew you were no more. We seven sisters grieve for you, knowing that we are not a full set without you.
Oh, well, we must go on, I suppose. There are foods to deliver into mouths, there are recipes to be stirred, there are cough syrups to go into the mouths of sick children. We are always on duty, us Seven Spoon Sisters.