The Day Eli Licked the Window

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April 19, 2013 by CassieCravings

The restaurant was packed as it normally is on Thursday nights. The scent of American diner food wafted through the glass doors. The bakery counter glistened with decadent pies and rich cakes. Sweet teas clattered in happy guests’ glasses. That unmistakable Texas drawl filled the dining room. Our evening was casual, relaxed and centered around family.

We piled into our booth. Little Eli bounced about as he not-so-patiently awaited his food. The family chatted. Eli rolled his matchbox cars over table, around drinks, on top of sugar packets and through our hands.

Our family settled into catch-ups of the day and giggled over happenings with students.  I overheard a snicker from the next table. I didn’t pay much attention. A few more snickers and some nudges got the best of my curiosity. I began to glance around to find out the source of everyone’s entertainment.

I screamed out, “STOP!” as I saw my 3 year-old face pressed to the partition glass. His tongue slurped the window and a single droplet of spittle raced down the glass. On the other side of the window, a man sat opened mouth with his burger hanging out. His face was pale. The burger faced man looked ill.

My slobber face preschooler looked bewildered, “What?! I’s just beings a puppy!” His face promptly was suctioned back to the partition window.

“Now is NOT the time. PLEASE remove your face from the window.”

Eli wiped his drenched face. My mother-in-law quickly mopped up the window. My husband shook his head as he attemtped to explain to our 3 year-old appropriate times to play puppy.

Eli shrugged and settled back into racing his cars on the racetrack of the table. I glanced at my husband and then at my mother-in-law. We all swallowed our grins as my mother-in-law wiped the last tongue print off of the glass.