I have only my mother’s recollections to pass on and she recently passed away at the age of 92. According to her memories, we (my parents, my brother and I) were living in an old home which had been converted into apartments. It was in 1946-47.

Miss Sally, an older lady, lived a couple of houses down from us and thought I was adorable with my blond curls a la Shirley Temple. My mother would visit her and Miss Sally would sit me on her lap and give me teaspoons of her coffee, heavily sugared and creamed. Evidently, I liked it and continued to like it right through elementary school, high school, college and grad school.

I’m married and have seven children. I wish that I could say they all are coffee drinkers and make this story turn out right, but only 4 of them are. Of course, that is a majority and, when we all gather for the holidays, majority rules.