AWOL - Absent Without Laughs

I’ve been AWOL, "Absent Without Laughs", these last 6 weeks, or so—in more ways than one—because things like that happen when life goes out of kilter.

Plus you tend to walk a little crooked and to one side.

Which makes your shoes wear a little funny.

You know...because of the out of kilter thing.

Get it?

But I guess I had a pretty good reason for all of the above...except maybe the badly worn shoes.

At least that’s what people tell me.

My mom died about a month and a half back.

Bada Boom!

How’s that for a punch line?

Didn’t see that coming...did you?

Yeah, she died...even though we asked her not to.

But she was always one to ignore everyone else and just do what she pleased.

All kidding aside, which as you know is a little hard for me, it wasn’t a total shock or completely unexpected.

She was nearly 90 and had been in poor health for the last 3 and half years.

But the good thing is she was able to live at home, mostly ‘til the end, with assistance, which is how she wanted it, because she found keeping track of all those Bingo cards at the nursing home annoying.

Plus she enjoyed the retired circus folk I brought in at half the going home health care rate to help her out.

Nah...I’m kidding. 

They weren’t really retired and were constantly inviting some clown or another over to the house.

Which I never even noticed until the day I found that pair of clown shoes wedged behind the couch.

When I asked my mom why there were clown shoes wedged behind the couch, she told me it was because she had a hard time reaching them from her wheel chair.

Sensing she was missing the point, I pressed her about why she would even allow clowns in her house in the first place.

And all she said was, it’s nice to have visitors who stayed for more than 15 minutes, clowns or not...and besides they made her laugh.

Logic with which I couldn’t argue.

But now that mom is gone, so are the clowns.

Packed up and moved on to hopefully cheer up the next home bound person in need of a laugh.

Because laughs are important...especially when life goes out of kilter.

So Z and I have spent a good portion of the last two months sorting through and packing up nearly 57 years of family artifacts and memories.

A box of toy soldiers here, a box of baby shoes there.

Every wedding invitation and birth announcement my mom ever received since the 40s.

Because apparently my mom was the sentimental type...which was actually a surprise to me.

I guess because I was too busy being a kid—her kid—to have noticed.

But I’m noticing now.

With every re-discovered “ice tea glass”, “lemonade pitcher” and “pudding cup” I’m noticing.

With every grammar school report card and pediatrician’s yearly physical note I’m noticing.

With every program from old school plays and sports dinners...I’m noticing.

And with every card or call of kindness I receive from the last of her old friends who had known her back in the back when...I’m noticing.

I’m noticing the person who was more than just “my mom” to a lot of people.

Even the clowns.

Even her kids and grandkids, nieces and nephews, in-laws and out-laws.

She was someone to be noticed...and of course never complained or held it against us when we didn’t.

But I guess that’s how moms are.

How my mom was....

Which I’m noticing, now.

Too late, maybe.

But I’m pretty sure she would say...it’s never too late.

And take your feet off the couch....

And when are you going to get a haircut...?

And would you like a little lemon in your iced tea...?

______________________________________

Have you picked up my new book “The Kingdom of Keys”?
                                                
No....what's up with that???

Better hurry before they're ALL GONE...which is a lie because they'll never be all gone...never....

So why not buy one just to reward my forthrightness..ness...ness?

You might even enjoy it.


And spread the word...cuz nobody else is....

Just sayin....
 
Available now at Amazon.com and all other major on-line booksellers - Click Here



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