I have come to respect one of our guest speakers in October just a little bit more now that I am living her book, Mothering Mother. Carol O’Dell wrote one of those books that I felt were just for women (I am very judgmental like that). But as I determined that my own 87-year old mother would not likely maintain her independence much longer, I tossed my bias out of a the speeding car that I drove to Pennsylvania to pick up the frail woman that I have called Mom for all these years.
So here I am, rapidly advancing through middle age and now the custodian of my mother. What the hell am I supposed to do now? Alright, I read the book that Ms. O’Dell wrote and enjoyed it. I also learned a great deal. But this is my mother, not some woman in a book. And of course, she has her own quirks and oddities. Why else did I vow that I would leave home as soon as I was legally able? I made this decision at age 4 and renewed these vows annually until our government proclaimed me able to get a lease in my name at age 18.
So here I am, doing the right thing. Her doctor says she is in great shape for her age. Her mind is reasoning as sharply as ever, which is really not good news for me. But I can’t kill her. I checked with the police and mercy killings are still illegal. I even explained that I wasn’t trying to be merciful to her, but to me. That seemed to raise too many eyebrows so I told them I was joking and left the police station. I believe they got my license plate on camera so now I really have to be careful with her.
So go ahead. Laugh. Chuckle. When we signed up Carol O’Dell to speak to our club, I actually thought of kidnapping her for the purpose of caring for my mother. Then I learned she had a family of her own and I decided that just wouldn’t be fair. So Carol, if you’re reading this, don’t worry. However, if you want to write a sequel, this experience would truly be transformed into a bestseller. I’d do it myself but I doubt I possess the mental toughness to survive.
Any ideas?
