Figs

Last time my mother-in-law was here, I was not quite myself.

I had been living with my mom for about a year by then and she was literally driving me crazy.  Her constant nagging and criticizing to her taking over the house and putting everything where she wanted, etc... was slowly chipping away at my sanity.

So, when my MIL was visiting, I was not the perfect hostess that I would have otherwise been.  (Who am I kidding, I would NEVER be the perfect hostess.)  But yeah, the last LAST time she was here, she seemed to like me enough and I think she had a good time even though the jet lag and plane ride was taxing on her frail health.  

The main reason my MIL visited this time was because my mom was going to Korea for about a month so my MIL came to watch and bond with her only grandchild.  It was kind of like an excuse for her to visit... we could have put him in daycare or something but I think it was around his dol (1 year b-day) too so yeah, she came for about 2 months (it ended up being 2 months because my mom stayed in Korea for longer than expected and then even when she came back, my MIL stayed longer.)

So, I had to take my MIL grocery shopping since she can't drive and my husband doesn't speak Korean well so it'd be better if I took her so that I can translate and explain things.  I took her to my favorite favorite grocery store... Berkely Bowl.  Berkely Bowl is a produce lover's heaven. They have all kinds of fruits and veggies that are fresh and cheap and lots of organic stuff too.  And lots of exotic fruits.

We are in the fruit section and my MIL spots the figs.  They aren't in season and it's expensive.  She was all, what's this? And I was all, it's the fruit that's in the Bible...  She was all.. figs? (in Korean).  It's kind of a famous fruit because it's mentioned multiple times in the Bible.  Anyway, she's all, these are figs? So this is what they look like... She grabs one and tastes it. (OMG, I just realized how KOREAN of her it was to do this.. she didn't even ask if she could eat it or whatever, she just ate it... lol.) She's all.... it's good!  Oh.... mat it da!  It was obvious that she wanted me to get some... and I'm not sure why I did this but I didn't get them for her... at that moment, I just didn't want to... so I commented that it was expensive and moved on.  And of course, when she heard me say that it was expensive, she moved on too.

This happened like 1.5 years ago.

Long time ago right?

But I can't forget it!  And every time I go to Berkeley Bowl and see those fresh figs, I am reminded of how I didn't buy those damn figs for my MIL. I feel TERRIBLE about it... I just do. I mean, what kind of a heartless DIL refuses to buy some stupid figs for her MIL who has never even SEEN them and they cost what five dollars per pound or something?!

MIL, next time you are here, I will buy you truck loads of figs so that you can eat them to your heart's content.  I'm so sorry that I didn't get them for you last time...