It started off like a typical Memorial Day.
Someone was raising a flag down my quiet, Rancho Cordova Street - a suburb of beautiful, downtown Sacramento. And that's about where typical stopped.
One story below my window, I see fragrant, white gardenia blooms - pushed up en masse by recent warm weather - covering a thick, green bush like picnic popcorn bursting onto manicured grass. I slowly navigate to my apartment's front door, open it and take a deep breath of cool, morning air then make my way to my computer to check my email and maybe do some online homework.
Not too long after going online, my Skype program lit up my screen and a familiar tone and lyrical, futuristic, electronic beep melody chimed from the computer's speakers. I looked but didn't immediately identify the caller, but chose to answer it anyway - it was a holiday after all. And I'm so glad I did.
To my joyful surprise, it was my Mom!
And, slowly, it began dawning on me that she was calling me on Skype, the free (for Skype to Skype users) video, audio conferencing, IM and text internet messaging service; the same service I was attending some of my online classes through.
I asked her to get the program or ask brother and sister to download it for her and finally they did! Hoo-Yah!
Ellen greeted me, was operating the computer at first and told me Mama wanted to talk to me. I felt a little giddy, like a kid who got picked to play in a playground, pick-up game of ball.
And, although I am a little old to worry about Mom wanting to talk to me, that familiar twinge of, 'Uh-Oh, what did I do' came and passed in a microsecond. That fleeting feeling didn't fully go away until Mom's cherub-like face filled the screen. Her well-groomed, thick head of more silver than black locks flowed from the top of her head like a cascading waterfall, resting on her shoulders like a calm lake. Her face lit up as she saw me and her warmest, cheek puffing smile quickly replaced a look of anticipation and slight bewilderment. She spoke a joyful, 'Ooooh, hello, Greg!'
"Hi Mom!" I replied, realizing how much my voice had shifted up a few octaves to sound like a school kid again.
"Oh, wow, I can see him!" she said in transfixed amusement.
She marveled at being able to see me through my sister's computer. But, as mom usually does when she hasn't seen me in awhile, she took great joy in pointing out that I had lost weight - for a change.
She usually is the first one to tell me I gained weight by puffing her cheeks like Dizzy Gillespie
did when he blew his horn. Certainly not the way I wanted her to remember me nor point out, thank you very much. But that's what mom's do; at least that's what my mom does.We did some catching up with Ellen refereeing disputes in time line and conduct like who tormented whom about posture when we were kids just as Ellen was reminding mom to maintain her posture now. I think we are mutually thankful for the admonishment.
And then we talked about things mother's and sons talk about; how am I doing, really, am I eating right, getting enough sleep, am I dating anyone... Oh, and 'what's all that stuff behind me she could see in the background?' Ratz! I think I told her I was still moving in... H-yah.
We talked about gardening and how her yard was in need of some tending to and how, if she could get me to NYC, I would take care of the tall grasses threatening to squeeze out her herb garden. I told her I'd be happy to - I am overdue for a NYC reunion. She jokingly offered to send me a helicopter as my coach. My sister and I clowned her a bit, telling her a 'helo' wouldn't make it in one shot from Cali. I think she knew.
I think EC said mom was too cheap to have Alzheimer's but sometimers was affordable. Mom laughed at each option - she is of the Blessed and Healed, Praise God; she is quite spry and her faculties are intact. I forget more things than she does. I am healed too! I'm claiming that!
We had a Grand time, talking for a few hours, catching up, laughing and telling each other how good we looked. It's always good to talk to mom. Shes quite a character and a Blessing to us, the community and anyone she comes in contact with!
As for me, if mom doesn't tell me I look good, who will? One rarely asks, 'how do I look?' to just anyone; they might just tell you the truth. But with mom? She usually always says, 'I look good.' Unless my face is getting fat. Then I get the Gillespie cheeks... Thing.
After a while, the novelty seemed to wear off and she tried to get off the line, assuring and me that 'I' (meaning me) had other things to do. But EC laughed from off screen, confirming what I already knew from many past experiences trying to keep up with mama. EC and I both knew that Mama, unhindered by being past her octogenarian years - like that slowed her down at all - has a calendar of things to do and plenty of blue-haired friends to do them with!
Well, God Bless ya, Mom! I and we all love you now and always.
Happy Memorial Day '09!
And thanks for the Skype call!
Me? I'm just fine.
(Top left: Mom's 90th Birthday invitation -pic from Point Loma, California (I think -Hawai'i maybe?), center top, Mom and me @ San Diego Airport, below, Mom portrait, bottom, Mom lookin' hot with sons Rodney and Merrill in the 50's.)
