Asking the important questions

Jeff showing off Dr. King's favorite meal

So, we've got the day off of school today. I'm rather impressed that both kids actually know WHY we have the day off (and it's not just for additional Wii time). They know that we are honoring Dr. King's birthday today. That he was a great man who preached peace and justice.  That intolerance was not to be withstood. On the way home from rehearsal last night Jeff asked the really important question...

"What was Martin Luther King's favorite meal? We should cook his favorite meal to celebrate his birthday tomorrow."

We hemmed and hawed. Dad joked that maybe it was chili, since chili was on the plan for dinner anyway. J didn't buy it. We tossed around the idea that it was probably traditional southern food (after we remembered that he was born and raised in Atlanta). J insisted we make sure by Google-ing it - because that's the only way to find any right answers. So the Google proved mom and dad right, his favorite foods were fried chicken, mac & cheese, greens etc...and pecan pie for dessert.

I told J that we'd make a special lunch out of Dr. King's favorite foods. Since I'm not really up on cooking southern food we stopped by our local small-town grocery store that sells some good fried chicken, mac & cheese in the back. No greens available so we grabbed green beans as a replacement. They didn't have mini pecan pies (and we eat pecan pie at the major holidays since it's my favorite) so we tried something labeled "Southern Coconut pie". It received a "meh" rating at the house as it was pretty sweet. I'm sure Dr. King had the real stuff.

I don't know if the kids remember our visit to the National Civil Right's Museum in Memphis. It's housed in the Lorraine Motel where King was shot. They were both pretty young (2 and 4 maybe) when we visited. I do remember the museum having some great displays for kids (though not as young as E and J). It's a pretty moving place. There's a burned out bus from the riots, and of course you can visit the balcony where King was shot.  Maybe they don't remember but it will always stick with me.

So we honor you today Dr. King.  We eat the humble and homey southern food. And we remember to "dream". Thanks Jeff for asking the important question and knowing why there's no school today.

Visiting Memphis in March 2008