Section eater

​            Once my parents had a dinner guest, so we ate in the dining room where I had to be on my best behavior. A few minutes into our meal, this stranger spoke to me.
            “I see you’re a section eater.”
          I was non-plussed. What is that? He saw me finish my peas before I moved on to the mashed potatoes, he explained. Clearly it made an impression, because I still remember it 50+ years later. Was this a defining aspect of my identity?
            I think, yes! I am a section person. I like to finish one thing before moving on to the next. When I was a full time mom, it stressed me out to think of being something else simultaneously – teacher, writer, whatever. I’d rather be all-in, one occupation at a time. When I teach, I put off other undertakings until the semester’s over. It’s not very efficient.
            I have grown to enjoy alternating bites off the dinner plate. Maybe that’s progress.
 
My 60th year in 60,000 words
Day 106: 163 words, TOTAL = 17,517; 42,483 remaining