一盘豌豆(APlateofPeas)一盘豌豆(APlateofPeas)mygrandfatherdiedwheniwasasmallboy,andmygrandmotherstartedstayingwithusforaboutsixmonthseveryyear.shelivedinaroomthatdoubledasmyfather'soffice,whichwereferredtoas"thebackroom."shecarriedwithherapowerfularoma.idon‘tknowwhatkindofperfumesheused,butitwasthedouble-barreled,ninety-proof,knockdown,render-the-victim-unconscious,moose-killingvariety.shekeptitinahugeatomizerandapplieditfrequentlyandliberally.itwasalmostimpossibletogointoherroomandremainbreathingforanylengthoftime.whenshewouldleavethehousetogospendsixmonthswithmyauntlillian,mymotherandsisterswouldthrowopenallthewindows,stripthebed,andtakeoutthecurtainsandrugs.thentheywouldspendseveraldayswashingandairingthingsout,tryingfranticallytomakethepungentodorgoaway.this,then,wasmygrandmotheratthetimeoftheinfamouspeaincident.ittookplaceatthebiltmorehotel,which,tomyeight-year-oldmind,wasjustaboutthefanciesplacetoeatinallofprovidence.mygrandmother,mymother,andiwerehavinglunchafteramorningspentshopping.igrandlyorderedasalisburysteak,confidentintheknowledgethatbeneaththatfancynamewasagoodoldhamburgerwithgravy.whenbroughttothetable,itwasaccompaniedbyaplateofpeas.idonotlikepeasnow.ididnotlikepeasthen.ihavealwayshatedpeas.itisacompletemysterytomewhyanyonewouldvoluntarilyeatpeas.ididnoteatthemathome.ididnoteatthematrestaurants.andicertainlywasnotabouttoeatthemnow."eatyourpeas,"mygrandmothersaid."mother,"saidmymotherinherwarningvoice."hedoesn‘tlikepeas.leavehimalone."mygrandmotherdidnotreply,buttherewasaglintinhereyeandagrimsettoherjawthatsignaledshewasnotgoingtobethwarted.sheleanedinmydirection,lookedmeintheeye,andutteredthefatefulwordsthatchangedmylife:"i'llpayyoufivedollarsifyoueatthosepeas."ihadabsolutelynoideaoftheimpendingdoom.ionlyknewthatfivedollarswasanenormous,nearlyunimaginableamountofmoney,andasawfulaspeaswere,onlyoneplateofthemstoodbetweenmeandthepossessionofthatfivedollars.ibegantoforcethewretchedthingsdownmythroat.mymotherwaslivid.mygrandmotherhadthatself-satisfiedlookofsomeo