Preschool Graduation Pizza Scare

My daughter and I went out for pizza to celebrate her graduation from preschool. We had a bit of a scare at the restaurant, but we may have different memories of it.

My younger daughter graduated from preschool, and I realized belatedly that this was a bigger deal than I'd thought it was. To make up for my shameful lack of flowers to present to her after the "moving on" ceremony, I offered her a one of a kind Graduation Day of Luxury. One part of this was lunch at the restaurant of her choice. No, she didn't pick Nobu, or French Laundry, or even a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Pizza she likes, and pizza it was!

The pizza joint was so classic it almost hurt: Checkered tablecloths, Frank Sinatra crooning from the overhead speakers, and a waiter with a Mediterranean accent. A couple was on an obvious first date at the table next to ours, and a few surly teens nursed their sodas a few seats over.

We were eating our pizza and discussing the relative merits of two popular children's television shows, when I took a few moments to dab some oil off my slice. She was silent during this, and when I looked up, she was waving her arms. Her face was beet red with wide, panicked eyes, and I realized in a flash that she was choking. I don't remember sliding across to her seat, but there I was, pulling her mouth open. I reached into her mouth with a hooked finger, and pulled out a wad of mozzarella cheese that was larger than a golf ball. She coughed a little, drank some water, and gave me a curious look. Then, my kid picked up her slice of pizza, and recommenced eating.

What could I do? I returned to my seat and sternly told her to swallow each bite before taking the next one. My hands were shaking and I felt nauseous. Around me, the couple on a date still got to know each other, the teens still waited on their refills, and Frank was singing the same song he was before my child choked. The whole incident lasted less than 10 seconds, but of course it affected me very, very deeply.

An hour later we were home, and her babysitter greeted us at the door. How was your day, she asked. My child, my darling child whose life I perhaps just saved, pointed at me. "I was eating pizza when Mommy stuck her finger in my mouth and choked me!"

...And that, I'm certain, is how she will remember the lunchtime portion of her Graduation day of Luxury.