“Hey, mom?” (daughter, Chloe, in kitchen)
“Uh huh?” (wordsmith, me, at desk)
“Would you like to do an experiment with me?”
One of my eyes strayed from my computer screen and glanced toward her school workspace. The eye noted no test tubes or beakers. The eye reported back to the brain a thumbs up sign.
“You bet.”
“Great,” she said. “You and I are going to go without chocolate for one week.”
“Sure thing … ” (type, tappity tap) “Wait—what?” Both eyes scanned kitchen. Found kitchen empty. “Chloe? … Damn.”
This has happened to me before. I have answered yes to buying a pony, sleepovers that require train travel across two states, the shaving off of one eyebrow and a small down payment on a developing goat herd in Uganda.
They know how to get me. As long as I’m writing, I’m cognizant of nothing apart from the cursor on the screen and how bitter my tea is becoming.
How in the hell was I going to survive without chocolate for seven days? I looked around my desk. There was chocolate everywhere. Having it near me brings a balm of comfort and serenity to my writing space.
Chocolate (Photo credit: EuroMagic)
I’d have to get rid of it.
Out of sight, out of mouth, right?
I could do this. It was probably for the good of science on the whole. I bet I’d be part of some study for NASA. Good for me. I’d show my support for Chloe, and science, and … space?
It didn’t matter. I loved challenge.
Day One: I made it through breakfast. In fact, I just ignored breakfast and got busy. Better not to think about food in general. I left the house for lunch. If I wasn’t at my desk, things would be a heck of a lot easier. After dinner Chloe checked in with me.
“How’d today go?”
“Not too bad. This might be pretty easy. I’m going to bed.”
“Mom? It’s 7 o’clock. The sun hasn’t even set.”
“Yep. But if I’m sleeping, then I won’t want to eat chocolate, okay? Goodnight.”
Day Two: Rising at 4 a.m. is fine if I have to catch a flight to a tropical island getaway, but getting out of bed simply to avoid dreaming about chocolate seemed somehow wrong. I ate a lot of brown food.
Day Three: “Mom?”
“Stop shouting at me!”
English: A small pad of Post-It notes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Day Four: Post It Note: Dear Mom, It’s okay if you want to quit. You’ve made it through three whole days and I know that’s a lot for you. You’ve done great. Love, Chloe
Dear Chloe, Really? You’d just love that now, wouldn’t you? I’d be the laughing stock of everybody else who’s a part of this study. Chocoholic Mom can’t hack three days of deprivation. No way! I’m not going to be the butt of some joke down in Houston.
Dear Mom, I don’t know what you’re talking about. There is no study. It’s just you and me. Have a brownie.
Chloe, I don’t want a brownie. I want you to clean out the damn cat litter!
Day Five: Dear Chloe, I am writing this note to you on your bathroom mirror with your all-time favorite pink lipstick left in the pocket of your blue jeans, which I found just before washing them. I have repeatedly told you what to do before throwing things down the laundry chute, but it appears yo— … sorry, I ran out of lipstick and I’m now using the perfumed soap you got from G-ma at Christmas. CHECK YOUR POCKETS!
Day Six: Text from Chloe: Mom, there is no study. U r off the hook.
Text from me: Not on your life, kiddo! I refuse to abandon my duty to civilization. I know you’re supposed to be reporting back about my behavior and mood swings, and you’re probably going to tell all the people at the lab that your experiment had to be aborted because of some instability issues. That is not going to happen on my watch—NO WAY!
Text from Chloe: Can Dad pick me up after school?
Text from me: NASA just called and wanted to let me know I’m doing great as a test subject. They were ENCOURAGING. Unlike the scientist conducting the study.
Text from Chloe: Mom, u r delusional. There is no study.
Text from me: CONSPIRACY!!!
Text from Chloe: U need rest.
Text from me: I’ll tell you what I need. I need a family that’s going to pitch in when I ask them to! I need a cat that’s not going to vomit hairballs the size of Long Island! I need a dry cleaner that isn’t going to send me back a dress with two more stains on it than before I sent it in! I need an endless supply of orange juice pumped out of one of the kitchen faucets and hooked up to a pipe in Florida because I can’t keep up with the amount your brother is drinking! I need you kids to start picking up the books you toss onto every surface and leave for me to pick—
Message from AT&T: You have exceeded your monthly text allowance.
Day Seven: I did not get out of bed on day seven. Not even to pee.
Day Eight: My bowl of cereal was half a bag of Ghirardelli’s 60% cacao chocolate chips with chocolate milk poured over them.
I feel a lot better. Especially since I helped NASA figure out something space related. I’m sure it will eventually be revealed in a Reader’s Digest article, or I’ll see my results reported on the Discovery channel. I’ll probably be part of a documentary.
It was worth it if it meant I’ve aided mankind.
And you’re welcome.
~Shelley
Don’t forget to check out what’s cookin’ in the Scullery this week (here) and what we’re all talkin’ about down in the pub (here)!
Shelley Sackier 
LOL… thank goodness the experiment was only seven days or else there might have been a “Hi Honey… I’m Home” moment Jack Nicholson style 🙂
I was an idiot to think it was going to be easy. And if Chloe were writing this response, she’d stop after the first four words.
This was great! Thanks for the laughter and smiles. Take care, Gary p.s. let me know when you want a good … really good … choc chip cookie recipe … twice the choc chips as a regular recipe … just sayin … LOL …
I’d have to say the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever had was a big bar of Ghirardelli chocolate simply cut into the shape of a cookie. I have a pretty good imagination. I could see the flour, eggs and sugar in my mind. Delish.
You got me there … but, just in case:
Doc’s Rocs (v. 09/26/12)
(Original recipe taken from the San Francisco Examiner circa 1983, and modified in countless kitchens with numerous sampling volunteers)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter … softened, NOT melted (Land O Lakes, sweet cream salted – it makes a difference)
2/3 – 1 Cup DARK brown sugar, loosely packed (Domino brand)
1 1/3 Cups white granulated sugar (Domino brand)
1 ½ to 2 Teaspoons REAL vanilla extract (pick a high quality REAL extract)
2 extra large or jumbo eggs
3 to 3 ½ Cups white all purpose flour, unsifted (Martha White brand)
1 Teaspoon baking soda (Arm & Hammer)
1 Teaspoon table salt (Morton)
24 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (Hershey)
1 to 2 cups English walnuts (if desired, works ok without)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. This recipe will make 48 – 80 chocolate chip cookies depending on the size you like. I use large nonstick cookie sheets that have the air-gap in the center. I spray the cookie sheets LIGHTLY with Pam or one of the other cooking sprays that has FLOUR mixed with the spray, then wipe off excess. In a LARGE bowl, combine the butter, sugars, vanilla, eggs, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour. Mix carefully lest you dust everything with flour. You should end up with relatively stiff dough that does not run nor want to overly stick to the sides of the bowl. If it seems a tad sticky at this point, add a bit more flour. If it sticks to the bowl it will stick to the pan when you bake it. Now, ditch the spoon and add the chocolate chips & nuts, then mix by hand. Oh yes, please wash your hands before mixing (smile … you’re watching guests will appreciate this).
Using a large tablespoon, drop four rows by four rows of heaping dough balls on a large cookie sheet (12 – 16 cookies). Shoot for a dough ball the size of a ping pong ball or slightly smaller the first time, and then you can adjust later depending on your desired outcome. The chips and nuts will not all bind with the dough (there are sooooooo many of ‘em) and you sorta have to deal with some loose ones in the bowl, so don’t worry that you have made a mistake. You are doing just fine. Remember to leave room between the cookies and do not mash the dough down. Smaller dough balls and/or baking multiple sheets will require you to watch the cooking times carefully.
Baking time will vary with each oven, but about 15 – 17 minutes seems to work for most. I tend to bake one sheet at a time for best results. Remove the cookies before they start to turn a light golden brown around the edges if you like them soft. Cool until a non-marring spatula can lift cookies off without them breaking or chips sticking. Place in an air-tight container and/or freeze. Of course, if you want to spoil someone … place a single cookie on a napkin and hand it to them fresh from the oven. Results here vary, but a “smile” is most often the reward. Variations can be made with white or mint chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, macadamia nuts and pecans, etc. Enjoy!!!!
Gary
lol. Next up from NASA,
Living in a minivan sized living quarter for next three months with 6 other crew mates while eating nothing but powerbars and cliffbars 🙂
I may be able to hack it, as long as those “bars” contain a boatload of chocolate. Although, I’m getting the feeling my days with NASA as a study participant are coming to an end. And I could really use the money. I might have to check with our local University hospital. I’ve got a few extra organs that are just taking up space at the moment.