of my mind
and went inside to forage for breakfast.
*****
“I’m fine, Mother. I just called to see how
your date turned out.” I leaned against the kitchen counter,
nibbling at my last whole-wheat bagel. I needed to restock the
refrigerator if I intended to stay much longer. My food choices
were running low.
“My date turned out wonderfully.” Mother
yawned into the receiver, and I realized I’d woken her. She never
slept in past eight and according to my watch, which I had yet to
set to Pacific Time, it was well past nine o’clock in Minneapolis.
I’d spent the morning moving my things to the master bedroom and
straightening up around the house, mostly wasting time until it was
safe to call.
“I guess it did. You sound tired. Late night,
huh?” I said, my gaze catching the movement of a squirrel in the
branch of a tree outside the window. “Mr. Banker must be more
exciting than he looks.”
“Wilhelmina! Obviously, California living
hasn’t improved your manners. Andrew was a true gentleman. He took
me to the Symphony and afterward to a very nice restaurant. We have
a lot in common and we talked until two in the morning. I couldn’t
believe it. I haven’t stayed up that late in years and years.” Her
voice sounded tired but happy.
I smiled against the phone, picturing my
mother up late enough for her makeup to fade and her hair to grow
limp, entertaining a man with her knowledge of dinner party
etiquette and the perfect mulch for a rose garden. “Sounds lovely.
Are you going to see him again?” I asked, and took another bite of
bagel.
Mother cleared her throat and I heard the
sound of the mattress creaking as she shifted on the bed. “I see
him every month when I take my check to the bank.”
“Now you’re being evasive. When’s the last
time you went out with a man and talked until two in the morning? I
think bellbottom jeans were in style the last time you went on a
real date. Oh yeah — they’re back in style again.”
“Very funny. I’ll have you know I went out
just last month.”
“Right. I’d forgotten.” I picked up my coffee
mug and took a sip. Morning conversations with Mother were always
entertaining. “As I recall, you met him at church. He said he was a
widower, lonely for female companionship since his wife’s death in
a boating accident.”
“Laughing at your elders is disrespectful.”
Now she sounded peeved. “I know I taught you better, but for the
life of me can’t seem to see the results.”
I laughed out loud, unable to keep it in,
remembering her righteous anger when she found out the man was
hopping from church to church, parading his grief around to trap
lonely widows and divorcees into an affair with him, while his wife
was home, very much alive. “I’m sorry, Mother. But I did warn you
about believing every sob story you hear. Con men are known to
frequent churches as well as bars. Remember Judas?”
“Well, lucky for me Jo Martin had already
heard of him at St Christ Lutheran and gave me the low down before
I lost anything more than my pride.”
“Yes, thank God,” I said, my thoughts turning
serious. “You deserve someone wonderful, Mother. I hope you find
him.” I rubbed my finger absently around the rim of my cup,
thinking of the years she’d stayed home to be with me and Adam
after our father died, not venturing out on a life of her own, but
taking care of our needs. Living on social security and the small
check she got each month from working part-time at a local florist,
we didn’t have a lot, but we had each other. She was always there
whenever I had a track meet or volleyball game, cheering me on.
She chuckled softly. “I don’t know about
that. I kind of like my independence. Besides, if I got married
again I’d have to share my bed. It took me half a dozen years to
get used to sleeping alone and now that I’ve learned to spread out
and fill up the empty space I don’t know that I want to go back.
There is freedom in
and went inside to forage for breakfast.
*****
“I’m fine, Mother. I just called to see how
your date turned out.” I leaned against the kitchen counter,
nibbling at my last whole-wheat bagel. I needed to restock the
refrigerator if I intended to stay much longer. My food choices
were running low.
“My date turned out wonderfully.” Mother
yawned into the receiver, and I realized I’d woken her. She never
slept in past eight and according to my watch, which I had yet to
set to Pacific Time, it was well past nine o’clock in Minneapolis.
I’d spent the morning moving my things to the master bedroom and
straightening up around the house, mostly wasting time until it was
safe to call.
“I guess it did. You sound tired. Late night,
huh?” I said, my gaze catching the movement of a squirrel in the
branch of a tree outside the window. “Mr. Banker must be more
exciting than he looks.”
“Wilhelmina! Obviously, California living
hasn’t improved your manners. Andrew was a true gentleman. He took
me to the Symphony and afterward to a very nice restaurant. We have
a lot in common and we talked until two in the morning. I couldn’t
believe it. I haven’t stayed up that late in years and years.” Her
voice sounded tired but happy.
I smiled against the phone, picturing my
mother up late enough for her makeup to fade and her hair to grow
limp, entertaining a man with her knowledge of dinner party
etiquette and the perfect mulch for a rose garden. “Sounds lovely.
Are you going to see him again?” I asked, and took another bite of
bagel.
Mother cleared her throat and I heard the
sound of the mattress creaking as she shifted on the bed. “I see
him every month when I take my check to the bank.”
“Now you’re being evasive. When’s the last
time you went out with a man and talked until two in the morning? I
think bellbottom jeans were in style the last time you went on a
real date. Oh yeah — they’re back in style again.”
“Very funny. I’ll have you know I went out
just last month.”
“Right. I’d forgotten.” I picked up my coffee
mug and took a sip. Morning conversations with Mother were always
entertaining. “As I recall, you met him at church. He said he was a
widower, lonely for female companionship since his wife’s death in
a boating accident.”
“Laughing at your elders is disrespectful.”
Now she sounded peeved. “I know I taught you better, but for the
life of me can’t seem to see the results.”
I laughed out loud, unable to keep it in,
remembering her righteous anger when she found out the man was
hopping from church to church, parading his grief around to trap
lonely widows and divorcees into an affair with him, while his wife
was home, very much alive. “I’m sorry, Mother. But I did warn you
about believing every sob story you hear. Con men are known to
frequent churches as well as bars. Remember Judas?”
“Well, lucky for me Jo Martin had already
heard of him at St Christ Lutheran and gave me the low down before
I lost anything more than my pride.”
“Yes, thank God,” I said, my thoughts turning
serious. “You deserve someone wonderful, Mother. I hope you find
him.” I rubbed my finger absently around the rim of my cup,
thinking of the years she’d stayed home to be with me and Adam
after our father died, not venturing out on a life of her own, but
taking care of our needs. Living on social security and the small
check she got each month from working part-time at a local florist,
we didn’t have a lot, but we had each other. She was always there
whenever I had a track meet or volleyball game, cheering me on.
She chuckled softly. “I don’t know about
that. I kind of like my independence. Besides, if I got married
again I’d have to share my bed. It took me half a dozen years to
get used to sleeping alone and now that I’ve learned to spread out
and fill up the empty space I don’t know that I want to go back.
There is freedom in
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