So many thoughts popped into my head regarding my wonderful mother now gone for 28 years and still missed. The memory that still makes me laugh is that, no matter what, she could never be blunt or rude to anyone. If she was totally not interested in what someone was saying, she would just keep repeating in very flat tones, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'." Her best friend, Gladys, told me that they were at a wedding reception together one night. My mom was stuck (wedged!) in a corner at a table, while the young woman next to her, whom she had not known before that night, shared at great length VERY personal details of her life. Rather than saying, "I don't want to hear all this," at each pause Mom would repeat, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'."
She also could talk to anyone if she was interested in what they were saying. She worked at my old high school as a secretary. She answered the phone and talked for about 20 minutes telling the caller all about Martin Luther High School. When she hung up, her co-worker said, "Who was that? A friend of yours?" "No," Mom answered. "Wrong number."
My mom is a complex person, and sometimes the negative stuff overshadows the good stuff - but there definitely are Good Parts I cherish: cooking together, taking me to the library, teaching me manners, and introducing me to the joys of afternoon tea and crumpets. And man, that lady loves to party!
My mother dismissed Mother’s Day as a “Hallmark Holiday”. She said “be good to me all year and never mind this one day!” So I did. But I’d call her anyway. Gone now 38 years, still think of her frequently.
So many thoughts popped into my head regarding my wonderful mother now gone for 28 years and still missed. The memory that still makes me laugh is that, no matter what, she could never be blunt or rude to anyone. If she was totally not interested in what someone was saying, she would just keep repeating in very flat tones, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'." Her best friend, Gladys, told me that they were at a wedding reception together one night. My mom was stuck (wedged!) in a corner at a table, while the young woman next to her, whom she had not known before that night, shared at great length VERY personal details of her life. Rather than saying, "I don't want to hear all this," at each pause Mom would repeat, "Um, um, um, isn't that somethin'."
She also could talk to anyone if she was interested in what they were saying. She worked at my old high school as a secretary. She answered the phone and talked for about 20 minutes telling the caller all about Martin Luther High School. When she hung up, her co-worker said, "Who was that? A friend of yours?" "No," Mom answered. "Wrong number."
My mom is a complex person, and sometimes the negative stuff overshadows the good stuff - but there definitely are Good Parts I cherish: cooking together, taking me to the library, teaching me manners, and introducing me to the joys of afternoon tea and crumpets. And man, that lady loves to party!
My mother dismissed Mother’s Day as a “Hallmark Holiday”. She said “be good to me all year and never mind this one day!” So I did. But I’d call her anyway. Gone now 38 years, still think of her frequently.
Love flowers in a jelly glass! 🌺🌷🌼🌸🌻😁