This is part of a series, “Scene from a memoir I haven’t written yet.” Please scroll to the bottom to see how to link up a post of your own.
Photo by Team Dalog
That’s the Way the Fortune Cookie Crumbles
Each person cracked open the crisp, sweet cookie to reveal the fortune inside. Laughing, groaning, announcing connections to real life, the ritual circled around the table and drew closer to me.
Having Chinese food at my school on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving break, I knew that in a few hours, I would be getting a phone call telling me my real fortune: the lab results of the biopsy I had the day before.
I was on edge, getting through the day by not thinking about the biopsy. The one time I blurted out something about it, I teared up. Holding anxiety at bay by not thinking about it, I wasn’t ready when the circle of fortune-seeking now came around to me.
Faces expectantly looked, waiting for me to crack open my cookie.
I hesitated, worried about my reaction in front of everyone, but I reminded myself that I wasn’t superstitious and cracked it open.
I looked on both sides, before I read, “Learn Chinese.”
“No,” they laughed, “that’s not the fortune!” They thought I didn’t know how to read a fortune cookie.
I dutifully flipped it over. “Made in the USA.”
I was the only one who didn’t have a fortune. What does it mean if you are waiting for bad news and you don’t get a fortune in your fortune cookie? Good thing I wasn’t superstitious.
I knocked on wood just to be safe.
Now it’s your turn: Share a memory about a superstition or a time you felt superstitious.
To link up:
- Link to a specific blog post (not your blog’s home page) that fits the writing prompt.
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And I laughed at the "American Fried Rice." } – 
I love this one!
Shannon ~ My Place In The Race recently posted..So Far…
Have you found like me that fortunes in cookies are slackers lately? Honestly, some of them I’ve truly wondered why they were published. LOL
Great post. I can’t say I’ve been superstitious. I don’t believe in that. But my brother died on Friday the 13th, which used to be my fave day. Still is, but now it’s a sad one too. Each 13th reminds me of his passing. Some people think it’s freaky he died on that day. I think it isn’t. It was just luck. Bad luck.
-Nora
http://norabpeevy.blogspot.com/2012/03/serial-sunday-telling-place-part-ii.html
I’m sorry for your loss, Nora. Thanks for visiting. Yes, I’ve seen fortune cookies that just have ads in them. Come on, how can they not put a fortune in there?
Sorry for my ignorance but is not a fortune cookie a biscuit kind of thing???? How come the photo look like paper ???I have never seen one before. I would love to have one. Someday
I wanted to thank you for something too… here in your space also ( I had written the same thing in my reply to your comment).
Thank you for helping us remember those simple and special moments in our life and for encouraging us to write it down so that we may never forget. Thank you so much for Scene from a Memoir.
You’re right about fortune cookies. I just liked this photo of origami ones to go with my story. Thanks for linking up your story!