Our local H.E.B. was sold out of the magic peas when I went late this afternoon so I scurried a few miles across the neighborhood to Randall’s and lo and behold they had several cans left. “I’ll be damned,” I said aloud I was so surprised to find any. A woman in the aisle beside me said, “Thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot.”
The peas were ordered up by Mrs. Charm who said we didn’t eat them on New Year’s Day last year and “Look what happened.” She was diagnosed with cancer. So this time she didn’t want to take any chances.
The magic is an old Southern tradition meticulously observed in our (Central) part of Texas. Eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day and you’ll have a lucky year. Don’t and you won’t. Like I say the mrs is in no mood to tempt fate again. So I didn’t give up when I found the shelves bare of them at H.E.B. And I’m sure glad I didn’t. Eat your peas, America!
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 