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Mum was only going to be living with me for six weeks, maybe two months. That was nine, long months ago. I love my Mum. She is sweet and well-intentioned. She is much sweeter than I am. I would do anything for her. I am now, however, on the verge of losing my mind. Patience . . . I’m not sure when that deserted me but I think it was somewhere between the Chubby Checker debate and the blog debacle. Maybe I’m just crazy. That is Mum’s opinion anyway. It is an art form . . . caring for your parent . . . a highly underrated art form.
Remember the Twist . . . the song and dance that became a worldwide phenomenon in 1960 when Cubby Checker’s cover of the song hit the Billboard Hot 100. That’s how it happened in my reality. Mum, she remembers doing the twist at her high school dances. The only problem is that she graduated from high school in 1954. “No, Mum, you couldn’t have. The song wasn’t out yet.” “I did too. You can’t remember that, you weren’t even born.” “Look Mum. See Wikipedia says . . .” “Wiki-whatever-ia wasn’t there either.” “Okay, Mum. You did the Twist in high school.” Divergent time streams, that’s all I can come up with.
I know each generation has their own particular style and I’m no fashionista, but come on. “Mum, that shirt doesn’t go with those pants.” “They’re the same color.” “But the shirt is plaid and the pants are striped. Besides those pants are too big.” “I like these pants.” “Mum, they are falling off!” “I thought that was the style now days.” “For teenage, rapper dudes, Mum, not women in their 70’s.” “Are you saying I’m too old to be trendy?” “Fine, let’s just go to the store.” I try hard not to notice the stares from people thinking I’m some kind of elder abuse offender.
We also speak different languages. “I forgot my water in the bedroom” means “Please get my water from the bedroom.” “I need to do laundry today” means “Please do my laundry today.” I have learned to focus on keywords like a computer search engine . . . water bedroom . . . laundry today . . . then I’m able to extrapolate the most likely meaning. It works most of the time. Just like a search engine, sometimes I need more information. “What are you doing?” Now, that can mean “I’m bored” or “I’m hungry” or “I don’t feel well” or any number of other things. What I finally figured out is she doesn’t want to know what I’m doing and more input is needed for proper translation.
I made the mistake of actually telling her what I was doing recently and that lead to the blog incident. Now I know Mum thinks my writing is a huge waste of time. This is nothing new. It started when I was in grade school. Back then it was . . . “What are you doing?” “Writing a story.” “Is it homework?” “No.” “Is your homework done?” “Yes.” “Then go outside and play.” I fully accepted long ago that she thinks anything is a better use of my talents than writing. I don’t know why I thought the current event would be any different.
I was merrily doing my happy dance around the house earlier this month in celebration of a huge blog accomplishment. I had written a post about a local celebrity . . . Phoenix Jones, the real life superhero. Anyway, he and his wife saw it, liked it and posted a link on his Facebook page. I mean how cool is that? They liked it enough to share it with his fans at a time when the media spotlight had focused on him like a laser beam. It was as good as being “Freshly Pressed.” More people than I ever dreamed were reading my blog!
Enter Mum. “What are you doing?” In my excitement I forgot the training of a lifetime and told her about my blog (first time in four years). “Can I read it?” I should have known this was a trap, but I walked right into it. “You wrote this?” “I did.” “I don’t get it. Aren’t you supposed to be looking for work?” “Yes, Mum. I’m doing that right now.” Yeah, my feelings were hurt, but hey, what did I expect? I know she loves me and wants what is best for me. She’s 100% right. What I need more than anything is a job. The bottom line is that Mum and I are very different people. It doesn’t diminish our love and caring for one another. Mum’s from Venus and I’m from Alpha Centauri.
It’s almost over. I should be sleeping in my own bed very soon. My aching back! The peddler of futon sleep preeminence swore the mattress he sold me – memory foam and all – was as good as any I have ever slept on. May he writhe in a lumpy, back-breaking innerspring purgatory to atone for his transgressions against the spines of trusting customers like moi’. In other words, he lied or mislead at the very least. Curse him. I just had to get that out of my system. Anyway, Mum will be returning to her home in the next couple of weeks. It’s a good thing for both of us.
Cryptic contact
No rhyme or reason
What’s it really all about?
The call, a query
Inane conversation
Harmless seeming banter
“Hey, what’s shakin’?”
“How have you been?”
Sly code seeking new status
Nothing implied
No point or promise
Merely checking now and then
“Husband is well”
“Yeah, wife’s good too”
Nothing more to speak of
She knows she’s changed
That life long gone
Why cling to that persona?
He’s different too
Intent not known
What’s he seek to find there?
Farewell for now
“We’ll talk again soon
Catch you on the flip side”
“Sure, later babe
Must keep in touch”
Shades of disappointment
Beg your pardon?
What was the purpose?
As much to blame as he is
This trip they make
From time to time
Down a path that leads them nowhere
Work . . .
Communication
Most insincere
Trying to guess what
They want to hear
Need a job so
The game I play
Trying to guess what
I’m suppose to say
Grin and bear it
Smile through it all
No job too much or
Compensation small
Really don’t want them
These jobs I pursue
My God how I hate
The interview
Love . . .
Communication
Not quite sincere
Try to be all that
Will keep you near
Need to be loved so
The words I say
Wait in fear seeing
If you will stay
Hiding my tears
Sweet through it all
No abuse too much or
Recognition small
Want you to love me
The one I pursue
But this feels like
A job interview
Life . . .
Communication
Heart felt, sincere
Trying to do right
Try to see clear
Pray for redemption
Every new day
Look to tomorrow
How it will play
Put weakness aside
Enduring it all
No trial too much or
Temptation small
More worthy a life
All I pursue
Just to be ready for
St. Pete’s interview
The room was filled with the souvenirs gathered throughout a life of adventure. The bullroarer collected in the Outback lay on the shelf next to the Tumi knife picked up in Cuzco. The Tibetan Thangka hung near the window opposite a Baule mask from the Ivory Coast. The Xianpgi set bartered for in the Pangiayan Market and bone china tea set acquired in Edinburgh graced the top of the Kotatsu table radiating warmth from the corner. Numerous bits and pieces amassed wandering the world vied with one another for attention in the small hospice room dominated by the hospital bed which had only recently dwarfed its fragile occupant.
A man well-traveled had just died here . . . alone. For all his exploits, he had never had the time to make the human connection. Never did he experience the greatest of all adventures. Never did he wait with baited breath for the birth of a child. Never did he work a job he hated to provide for a family he loved more than himself. Never did he return to the loving arms of a woman graying and past her prime. Never did he stand proud at the graduation of a son or the wedding of a daughter. Never did he cry silent in the night not knowing how he would be everything needed by those in his charge. Never did he hear the words “I love you” from one he had given up his dreams for.
The young orderly stood surveying the mess he was packing up for disposal. He searched for a picture, or a letter, or indication of any kind there was someone that would want to know a lost and lonely soul had left this world . . . anyone that would want something here to remember the sad, miserable man that had spent the last days of his life in this forlorn place. The youth closed and taped each box of the now worthless hoard of memories unshared, feeling a sorrow for the adventurer once envied.
The cell phone in his pocket rang. It was his wife. The baby was colicky. His son’s soccer team had lost. The electric bill was past due. She was frustrated and exhausted. She waited for him to respond, but he was only now understanding the treasures of his own adventures. All he could say as he choked back tears was “I love you.”