Citrus

We switched payroll companies two years ago. Before committing to the new guys, I had a Zoom with our sales rep, John. John gets on the call and tells me, “You know Anna, you have to tell your father that was the best orange I have ever had. Thank him for me.” I stare quizzically at my screen. “What,” I ask, “are you talking about? You met my dad? What oranges?”

It turns out, mid-January 2021, in the depths of the frigid Michigan winter, my then 84-year old father, recently/finally vaccinated and double-masked wanted to meet John in person. So they met in a random parking lot because it was still not meeting people indoors times, especially at my father’s age. And my dad opened the trunk of his car and handed a salesmen some oranges.

Sumo oranges, to be precise. The first batch of the season. My dad had called all the area grocery stores and speciality markets for weeks, continually asking when the sumos would arrive, when those precious orbs would finally make their appearance. And once they did, he was there and his trunk was full of citrus and he was so overjoyed with their deliciousness, he was handing them out in parking lots.

The sumos still come up in emails with John. And, without fail, in conversation with my father every winter. But, as I’ve never seen them here in the UK, I have settled for Spanish oranges and Sicilian grapefruits and blood oranges, and when they taste this good, it’s totally not settling….

Citrus. The theme for a fun writing/Instagram challenge from @thegfw, and the best thing about winter. 🍊🍋🍊#gfw28deliciousdays2023