The best time of the year

Dolores Hans
MSMU class of 2025

(10/2023) I woke up this morning to a cool breeze coming through the crack in my window and the smell of my neighbor baking spice cake. That’s when I knew it was the best time of year! Autumn! Summer was over, and the leaves were changing colors. The faint sound of Mama’s humming put a big smile on my face. She always hums in the morning. I raced out of my room knowing Mama was probably reading the newspaper. I wrapped her in a big, warm hug when I saw her. She kissed me on the forehead and started calling me all the nicknames she could think of that had to do with autumn: pumpkin, cutie pie, sweetheart, boo, honey, buddy bear and sugar. I laughed and blissfully walked to the other side of the room to look out the window.

Mama got up and began getting my things ready for school. I waved and made silly faces through the window at Mr. Frank. He was our neighbor. He always came over to rake our leaves during this time of year. I love autumn because not only did I get to help him rake the leaves, but Mrs. Frank, his wife, always brought us some delicious spice cake. I watched her walk up the sidewalk slowly because she was old. She knocked on our door, and as I ran over to open it and let her in, I could hear the conversation she was having with Mr. Frank. Mr. Frank said he worries about Mama this time of year, and she responded smiling, saying that's why she always brings over something sweet. She entered our house and always pointed out how big I was getting. She calls me "Mama’s little man." Mama comes to meet her from the kitchen. As Mrs. Frank hands her the cake, she tells Mama that the cake is left over and she doesn’t want it to go to waste, that's why she gives it to us. But I know that she bakes it early in the morning and brings it right over, and only keeps a few slices for herself. She must forget because she is old.

When it’s time for me to go to school, Mama goes to work. School is good sometimes, and Mama’s work is hard sometimes. She says we all have our responsibilities, but I would rather go to work than school. Although, Mama works in the school, so I guess either way I am stuck here. Mama teaches the little kids art. I think having her as a mom is really cool because she taught me all kinds of things about seeing the beautiful things in the world, even the things that don’t seem beautiful at first.

In school, our teacher wanted us to write about the things we love. I started to think about my morning with Mama. I knew immediately what to write about. I loved autumn. I loved it because I liked to spend time outside playing in the leaves. The best part was when Mama lets me wear my jacket with all the patches, that way I never have to choose just one color to wear. It got so many patches over the years that the jacket is like five jackets in one. Also, it’s like camouflage when I hide in the leaf piles because the patches of the jacket match the different colors of the leaves. My teachers told me I needed a new jacket, but Mama knows how much I love it, so she never tries to buy a replacement. Nothing can replace my patchy jacket. Mama knows me so well.

I also love autumn because I get to have "Auntie days" twice a week! If you don’t know, Auntie days are when my auntie picks me up at school and she brings me out to dinner. I even get to sleep at her house while my mom goes to her other job. Auntie brings me to school the next morning. When mom sees me at school the day after one of my Auntie days, she always says she is sorry she couldn’t be there to have fun with me. I say she is silly since Auntie days are the best because we get to eat out, which Mama and I don’t do very often.

Mama and I go out for walks all the time. Usually when she is the busiest, she stops and wraps me in a hug, and then asks if I want to get my jacket and go for a walk. She knows I love the leaves, so she asks me, but sometimes I think she also asks because she needs a break. Mama grabs her little art kit and her journal while I get my patchy jacket and shoes. She buttons my jacket, and we head out on our usual path. Mama starts asking me if I am excited for the holidays coming up.

Thanksgiving is the best because Mr. and Mrs. Frank come over for breakfast before they go to their family’s house, and Auntie comes over with my baby cousin and Uncle John for dinner. Mama lets me help make the potatoes, and Auntie brings the turkey and stuffing. We usually get one of Mrs. Frank’s pies when she comes by in the morning.

For Christmas, Mama and I do a gift exchange. We always spend time making a present for each other. I already know what I’m going to do this year. Mama used to tell Auntie about how she craved "James’ risotto". I don’t know who James is, but apparently, he used to cook whatever risotto is for mama all the time. Auntie says that before I came along, the best part of her night was dancing in the kitchen and eating James’ risotto. Now the best part of her night is singing me to sleep. Anyway, I am going to ask Mrs. Frank to give me cooking lessons so that I can make risotto for mama this Christmas. She always makes my days happy; I think I can try to make hers happy too. This really is the best time of the year, all because of my Mama.