Joel David

I was talking to Tommy and John boy and Audrey (visiting us) this morning, and told them a story.  I have it in my book The Little Big Apple, but they thought I should put it in my blog.

Several years ago, we were in Mexico building a house for a young couple with a baby.  The lot was completely devoid of trees, so we had to eat our lunch out in the sun every day!  When we finally got the roof on the house, we were all sitting inside eating our sack lunches.  Every morning before going to the site, we packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some chips and cookies.

Tommy and I were sitting on the newly poured concrete floor, leaning against the new walls, opening our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  I looked across from us, and Joel David Mathis (who was around 11 years old at the time) was sitting with his legs crossed, leaning against one of the beams.  He wasn't eating.  In fact, he didn't even have a bag!  

I said "Joel David, where is your lunch."  He looked at me with those big sad eyes and he said "Oh Pat.  I got so distracted by the pancakes at breakfast, I forgot to make me a lunch!"

I just started dying laughing!  Of course we shared with him, but I will never forget that sweet boy sitting there on that concrete floor in Mexico in 115 degree weather, saying he was distracted by pancakes. 

We have other memories of Joel David in Mexico....some of them going back to when he was barely old enough to say a complete sentence.  He is a grown man now, but if he is ever distracted by pancakes again and is anywhere close by, I will gladly share whatever I have with him!