Four Bowls of Glory

As much as Nonna’s was a place for laughter, argument, and wine, it was also a gladiatorial arena. Where only the best could triumph.

Once pasta was served and bowls cleared, the call came: “You want more, Paul and Michael?”

Of course, we did. Her pasta was humble, but the best I’ve ever tasted.

Then came the competition. In one corner: my tall, skinny Dad. In another, my tall, Uncle Giovanni. Then me and my brother.

“I’m going to eat more than you!”

The adults usually won, but oh, to clear four bowls — that was glory.

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Author's Notes: The drabble is 100 words. For context, though -

I was a geeky little guy as a child. Glasses, big smiles, and boundless energy. I loved Transformers, He-Man, and Star Wars. Loved life. I also loved food. Food was an important part of my childhood, and thanks to my Scottish-Italian heritage, that meant lots and lots of pasta.

As many of my regular readers will know, my dad died this month and his funeral was on Monday, so it's been quite a bittersweet time, thinking back to my childhood, especially the later years during my teens.

However, my young childhood was actually in many ways rather awesome. So I wrote this for Shirley's challenge, to inject a little bit of positivity and give myself a smile, while fighting back tears, too.

Food competitions were a regular thing. Nothing official, but you had bragging rights if you cleared more bowls of pasta. Four, in my patchy mind, seems to have been the upper limit.

The picture I have included with the drabble is of one of our family holidays to Sesto Campano, Italy. That is the village where my Nonna was born and raised before she moved to Scotland. The picture was taken sometime in the 80s. I was likely about 6 years old.

From left to right around the table - Michael, my brother, my late Uncle Claudio, Linda (one of my many cousins), Lee (My Aunty Frances' late mother), Aunty Frances, Uncle Giovanni, Zio Giovanni (my Nonna's brother), my late Nonna Filomena, Zia Maria (Zio Giovanni's wife, both have passed away now, sadly), a little girl that's a distant Italian cousin, my Mum, Me, and my Aunty Teresa.

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