One Special Smell (Luis)

The one smell that brings back memories is the smell of gumbo it reminds me of my grandma’s homemade gumbo. When I think of the smell I can remember all the family getting together on special occasions to eat her specialty. I see my family gathered around her dark solid wooden round table that contained many scratches and scuffs. Everyone is passing the rice, potato salad, the buttered rolls, and the file’. I can hear my uncle Gary who is a jazz musician, talking about his upcoming gigs. I also hear my grandma talking about her childhood years. It didn’t matter how many times she told us the stories she would always tell them again. I can’t remember how many times she told us that her mom raised chickens and her dad milked cows. She always would talk about her Sundays meal consist of a can of pork-n-bean and a pound of ground meat, and she would always remind us that her favorite part of boiled chicken was the skin. Anytime someone orders a chicken gumbo and I catch a hint of the smell of the roux it takes me back to a special place and time in my life to when my grandma was alive.