via Daily Prompt: Pink

Today’s Daily Prompt word is Pink and I dedicate this post to my wonderful late mother – Nitana Elizabeth Pnematicatos nee Chimato

My mother had a thing against pink – not as far as the colour for clothing etc was concerned – no – it was the pink (or red) colouring in drinks for kids that she abhorred.  She was convinced that drinking anything pink would make her offspring sick.  If we went to a birthday party she’d say – don’t drink anything raspberry or strawberry flavoured – it will make you sick.     If we were out for milkshakes, she would not allow us to have one if it were pink.   I didn’t think to question it at the time. I believed her and in fact the one time I did try a strawberry flavoured milkshake – I brought it all up.  But then I did have food fetishes so it could have been purely psychological.

One Mother’s Day I made a card for her and wrote this rhyme in it.   Today would have been her 89th birthday and this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day.

Mom’s Aversion to Red or Pink

Mom had an aversion to a drink

That had the colour red or pink

Insisted we must never take

Red cold drink or pink milkshake

She taught us how to use the loo

The tricky art of tying a shoe,

How to add up sums in tens

And to  drive a Mercedes Benz.

We weren’t allowed in the sun’s ray

For two hours after 12 midday

She did not want our skins to fry

So made us white sunscreen apply.

She  along with our dear dad

Taught us what was good and bad

To always go the honest way

And make sure our bills we pay.

And when it came to what to drink

There’s no way we would ever think

Of taking strawberry or red

For fear of bringing up in bed

So we have learnt to use sunscreen

Be polite, honest and clean

Above all though we know our drink

Must never be of red or pink.

(May 2005)

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.  May you be enjoying some PINK Champers in heaven!