The happy memories that stayed with me

Pastéis de nata after school

 
For the first ten years of my life, I was raised as a vegan. My mom would cook all kinds of exotic dishes, with names and flavors I couldn't name. Most of them I liked, some I hated, but was forced to eat them anyway. Sugar was a forbidden substance, except for a very special moment of the day. Every day, from Monday to Friday, right after school, we would go to a bakery three blocks from our apartment, and buy the afternoon snack: Belem pastries.

I remember perfectly the aromas of that place, the tones of cream of the baked goods, and the sound of the Portuguese language mixed with Spanish. I would try to pull my mom's hand so we got faster to the house, almost tasting the vanilla custard already.
 

 
When I finally got to seat at the table and enjoy la merienda, I was the happiest kid. Right then, at that moment, I felt loved, special, cared for. Spoiled, even. That memory has stuck with me and has a very strong presence in my everyday life, and I thank my pixie for convincing my mother to buy them for us, the pastéis de nata.
 

The best friend I've ever had

 
In the first year of primary school, I was a small, fragile, skinny child. I was extremely shy, and almost every interaction occurred only on my mind. I can't seem to be able to recall how, but I managed to make a friend. Gaby. She came from a loving family: a dad, a mom, two older sisters, and her. She was very outgoing, always chasing the next adventure, and she could understand me even without words. Around her, I was happy.

I remember I started going to her house, after school, more and more frequently. I loved every chance I got to get out of my house and breathe. We would plan it ahead, and her dad would pick us both from school. We would have lunch together, her whole family, and me. Sometimes they would pick on me for not eating meat, but I didn't care. I was happy there. After that, we would go to her room and read, or play Monopoly behind the minibar in the living room.

I dreaded the sunset, which signaled the moment of going home. But, more often than never, Gaby's mother would call mine and ask her to let me stay the night. She would say yes, and I would jump with joy all around. I'm sure my pixie had something to do with that. Gaby and I would hug each other and go watch TV, feeling like we had all the time in the world to have fun.

The next morning, we would wake up before anyone else, and tiptoe our way into the kitchen. We would eat spoonfuls of Toddy, and cereal, in front of the TV, watching cartoons. Then, we would play Monopoly again. We loved that board game! She always won. When she and her family moved back to Peru, a year after we became so close, I lost the best friend I've ever had. Still, I hold the memories of the times we spent together very, very close, and they're really happy ones.

Final thoughts

These three particular stories I shared with you today are the core memories from my childhood. The happiest ones. There were other happy moments, but these lingered and still permeate my days. Thank you, little pixie, for making sure that I have them. I hope you're still around, and continue to be, even if I can't see you.

^{I'd like to thank you for reading this. I hope my words resonated with you in some way. If they did, or even if they didn't, I'd like to further connect with you, so I invite you to drop a comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can.}