2017/2018
Vol. 13

The Chocolate Chip Cookies

c. 1989; Kinston, North Carolina, USA

My mom was always a responsible person and driver. She never got a speeding ticket, and was top of her class at Kinston High. One day while driving to Kinston High School, she got distracted by singing along to the radio. Since she was so distracted, she didn’t notice how close she was getting to the mailboxes. As she edged closer and closer, suddenly — BAM! She hit someone’s mailbox.

After realizing what she had done, she quickly exited the car to see the damage. The whole side mirror was off, and the mailbox was destroyed. My mom had no idea whose mailbox it was, but knew she must tell them what had happened. She walked up to the door as her heart was beating fast. She debated over and over whether she should ring that doorbell or just go to school and pretend that this had never happened.

Before she could make up her mind, an old lady opened the door. With one glance at the tears rolling down my mom’s face and at her own wrecked mailbox, she understood exactly what had happened. My mom started to speak, but the lady cut her off and asked her if she would like to come in. My mom, unable to put any words together, simply nodded her head.

The old lady told her not to worry about the mailbox, because it was an accident. My mom had been babysitting all summer long, so she offered to repay the lady. The lady refused to let her do such a thing. She said that my mother would need all of that money for replacing the car’s mirror. The lady also said that she had been looking for an excuse to get rid of that mailbox anyway. The old lady brought out the best chocolate chip cookies and tea that my mom has ever had. My mom said that she would never forget the smell of those chocolate chip cookies.

My mom had been so distraught about the mailbox that she had totally forgotten about school. She hopped into the car and drove to get the car fixed. The old lady was right about saving her money, for she had to give them all of her savings in order for them to fix her car.

The car was already fixed by the time school was over. No one could even tell that she’d had to get the mirror fixed. My grandparents never asked about the car and my mom never brought it up, but that doesn’t mean that she will ever forget about that day or those chocolate chip cookies.

When my mom told me this story, I could not believe it. My perfect mom hit a mailbox. My mom always yells at my sister for driving recklessly, but my sister has never hit a mailbox. I love this story, because it is nice to know that not one person or object is perfect. But those cookies were pretty close.

Avery Johnson; North Carolina, USA

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