The Village

I loved running errands with my Grandma because it was predictable; three errands, the same three, and it always ended with frozen yogurt. First, we took her empty aluminum cans to a recycling machine in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. Next, we met my uncle at a wholesale store whose mascot was an elephant. Naturally, they handed out bags of peanuts. Lastly, we went to The Village Pharmacy- a mom & pop which held multitudes: greeting cards, slippers, Tums, swimming goggles, matchbox cars, a pharmacy of course, and most notably, a safari-themed frozen yogurt bar. My regular order: chocolate and vanilla swirl with shaved coconut on top, the coconut being the star of the show. It was heaven in a Styrofoam cup for an eight-year-old. I savored each bite while my Grandma talked to her neighbors. I would sit in a grassy hut surrounded by tiki torches until it was time to go.

Then somewhere, and I don’t remember whether it was from watching t.v. or from overhearing adults talking, I heard with authority that coconut was bad for the heart. As a second grader I knew my heart was important and felt immense shame for 1) harming a vital organ and 2) liking something that was bad for me. The saddest part of remembering this day is I never asked any follow-up questions, and I’m not sure why. I also wasn’t keen on running errands with my Grandma after hearing this. I hope she didn’t think it was because I didn’t want to spend time with her or was too busy or too grown-up to go places with her. It was the coconut.

Four decades later, coconut has made a comeback. It is a trendy alternative to fatty oils used in cooking and baking, is used in beauty products, and is an ingredient in every wholesome granola bar. Foods have been branded as reduced, whole, half, convenient, comforting, or exotic (I see you, dragon fruit) throughout the decades, and we carry these messages with us our entire lives whether they’re scientifically based or just a fad. First I heard meat is good for me, then I heard to cut it out. Then I heard chocolate is good, then chocolate is bad. Margarine is better and butter is bad, then margarine is bad, and butter is good. Two years ago, my friend said she adds butter to her cup of coffee each morning to boost brain power. At this I throw up my hands. If it is socially acceptable for my friend to drink butter, then shame about coconut is out.of.here.

The Village Pharmacy is gone. I googled it. And my Grandma is gone too. I loved her. But coconut is still here, and I am going to eat it and enjoy it and think about her and tell the story.