"The Flying Cake"
By, Cheryl Harwell Bailey

In 1968, it was a hot and humid,

  Christmas - time in Vietnam.

The soldiers were on ready 24/7.

They were young, 18, 19, 20, and homesick.

Most had been drafted.

My uncle Kerry Donaldson,

from Tulare, California, 

was one of those soldiers.

He is my mother's baby brother.

This tight knit family had a big celebration during every holiday.

He would miss it all this year,

 in the jungles of Vietnam.

But not with a sister like "Carolyn!"

 Before Christmas,
back home in California,
 my mama, Carolyn, had a plan.

She would bake Kerry, his favorite
 German Chocolate Cake,
 and send it to Vietnam. 

Everybody thought she had a crazy idea.

"Why, it would melt in that humid place.

It will be smashed to smithereens.

Carolyn,
 don't you know about Vietnam? 
It will be full of bugs!

It will take too long, and get hard as a brick.

It will mold, or be stale."

And so it continued. 

Undaunted, mama kept her vision.

She said, "for a moment, 
Kerry will feel he's home."

So mama made the cake, 
while I cut pan size liners,
 out of brown paper bags.

It took a while, but it came out perfect.
Mama wrapped it carefully,
 placing it in a huge tin.
 She cushioned it with old fashioned popcorn.
Once it was boxed up, and addressed,
mama headed to the Post Office,
and sent the package,
 to the other side of planet earth. 
 A perfect, made from scratch,
 "German Chocolate Cake."
For Kerry!
For Christmas!

We all held our breath, especially mama!
A few day's after Christmas day, a familiar blue envelope arrived in the mailbox.
From a very grateful baby brother, 
and his buddies!
He had indeed received,
a perfect, made from scratch,
 German Chocolate Cake,
in a box,
in Vietnam,
from his big sister,
on the side of planet earth,
on Christmas Eve!

It was gone in a few seconds,
grabbed by the handfuls.

For a moment,
he was home!


2003, 
Christmas - time in Afghanistan. 
The soldiers were on ready 24/7.
Mama's second grandson, Kenny Hill,
from Sacramento, California,
was one of those soldiers.

This tight knit family, had a big celebration during each holiday.
 He would miss it all this year,
 in the desserts of Afghanistan.
But not with a grandma like Carolyn!
Before Christmas,
back home in California, my mama,
 Kenny's grandma had a plan!
She would send her grandson,
his favorite, made from scratch,
 "German Chocolate Cake,"
in a box,
to Afghanistan,
on the other side of planet earth,
from his grandma,
for Christmas!
She said, "for a moment,
Kenny will feel he's home."


As I helped mama,
 my daughter and her granddaughter, "Kendra,"
 joined us in baking her cousin's cake.
She cut pan size liners,
 out of brown paper bags.
It took a while, but it came out perfect!

Mama began the packaging process
 without popcorn! Styrofoam packing peanuts for this modern grandmother!

After a trip to the Post Office,
the cake was flying to her beloved grandson,
"Kenny,"
on the other side of planet earth.
We all held our breath! Especially mama!
On Christmas Day,
the phone rang.
It was from a very grateful grandson,
and his buddies.
He had indeed received,
a, made from scratch,
"German Chocolate Cake,"
in a box,
in Afghanistan,
from his grandma,
on the other side of planet earth,
for Christmas!

It was gone in a few seconds,
grabbed by the handfuls.

For a moment,
he was home!


2013
Christmas-time.
The soldiers are on ready 24/7.
My son-in-love, Sterling Collins,
from Georgetown, Tennessee,
is one of these soldiers!

He is my daughter's husband.
Her name is "Kendra."
Our tight knit family will have a big celebration during the holidays.
He will miss it all this year,
in the desserts of Afghanistan.
But not with a wife like "Kendra!"

Before Christmas
back home in Tennessee,
my daughter Kendra has a plan.
She will bake Sterling, 
his favorite "German Chocolate Cake,"
and send it to Afghanistan.

While Kendra makes the cake, 
I cut pan size liners.
It takes a while, but it come out perfect.
Kendra wraps it carefully.
Once packaged and boxed up,
she heads to the post office,
and sends the package,
 to the other side of  planet earth.
A perfect made from scratch,
"German Chocolate Cake,"
for Sterling,
her husband,
in a box!


We are all holding our breath!
The i phone rings.
Facebook lights up.
It is from a grateful husband,
 and his buddies.
He has indeed received,
a perfect, 
made from scratch,
"German Chocolate Cake,"
from his wife,
"Kendra,"
On the other side,
of planet earth!

It is eaten with plastic forks,
 on paper plates!

For a moment,
he is home!

  

-author's note-
My mother Carolyn, is in the last stages of Alzheimer's.
No doubt she would have made this cake if she were able.
I am so proud of Kendra for taking up the torch!
 Mama was one of the first, to make this American Cake in 1954.
The recipe was called, "German Chocolate Cake,"
 because of the dark German type chocolate used in the cake.
"Baker's Sweet Chocolate," had the recipe on it's package for 60 years,
and mama made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I too started making it in 1971.
My daughter Kendra has been making it for several years.

And now another generation has taken the torch! 

Erica Gerry, Kendra's daughter in love, married to Conner, her son, my grandson.

He is a soldier now! 

2023