Yes, we have no bananas

I wandered into the kitchen recently for a snack. I knew there was one banana left, and yet, I couldn't find it anywhere.

Mark solved the mystery by explaining that it was going bad, so he stuck it in the freezer. Sure enough, that's where I found the solidly frozen (and now browned) fruit.

I wasn't sure what to do with a frozen banana, so I just left it there. Well, that apparently sparked Mark's culinary curiosity, and the next time I stepped into the kitchen, I noticed there had been some unusual activity.

The foil was out, as was a dirty spoon, and some grainy brown powder spilled on the counter. Absentmindedly, I picked it all up, noting the powder had a familiar chocolately fragrance.

Mark burst into the kitchen just then. "Mom!" he said excitedly, "I made you a present!"

He opened the freezer to display his newly-modified frozen banana, which now had a plastic fork jammed into one end. It had miraculously transformed into a chocolate banana!

"How'd you do that?" I asked, curious. I swiped at the banana for a taste, and recoiled as my taste buds and Mark reported back the same answer simultaneously.

"I used Nestle's Quik!" he said, beaming. "I dumped chocolate powder all over the banana." I could see how proud he was, and immediately stifled my gag reflex.

"It's really...chocolately," I admitted. It was the nicest thing I could think of to say.

"Can I try it?" he asked, and I readily handed it over.

"Mmmmm," he sighed, savoring it. He grimaced a little toward the end, but attributed that to having just brushed his teeth.

"Chocolate doesn't taste good after you've just brushed," he explained, but I was thinking frozen Nestle's Quik powder doesn't taste good EVER outside of dissolved into a glass of milk.

I had to scoot him off to school then, so he placed the banana back into the freezer. "That was sooooo good," he said dreamily.

And how good am I gonna look tonight, when I unselfishly offer up my dessert to him? I'll be the loving mama treating her grateful little kid to a special treat.

"No, that's okay," I'll tell him nicely. "I really want you to have it, son. I'll just make do with something almost as good -- perhaps a cruddy ol' cookie or a dish of ice cream. Anything for you, my boy."