Scrounging

After the cabinets run dry and dinners become scarce, we employ the survival strategy of “scrounging”. The chain of desperation begins with refrigerated leftovers, progresses to canned soups (beginning with chicken and stars and ending with cream of tomato), stabilizes with an over-consumption of rice with canned gravy, and ends as we scavenge the laundry room cabinets for soy nuts and, embarrassingly, Chef Boyardee ravioli. This last step fully solidifies the recognition of our deprivation. Considering why our parents cannot comprehend the immediacy of our grocery shopping needs, we remember that Daddy dines out while Mother, seemingly, just doesn’t eat.