My Mom

“Wrong Ralph…the party’s over. You march yourself right back upstairs and clean that room. I don’t want to see you until its clean. ”

“Yes, mum,” I said nonchalantly. I ran back upstairs and slid my mess under my bed and into my closet. I dashed out of the house with a quick smooch for my mom. “It’s clean…bye.”

Now for most situations in my life, this technique works. But not here. Not in my house. Not with my mom. And most especially in the summer of 1987 when I thought I had everything figured out. Little did I realize that my mom was at the height of her Superpowers. She just knew when something was amiss…

I came back in from playing basketball and my mom was quietly reading a book at our kitchen table. I breezed by with a big smile on my face. It wasn’t until I got to my room that I realized my ruse hadn’t worked.

I looked in my door and everything that I had slid under the bed, jammed into my closet, and crammed into drawers was heaped into an unruly pile in the middle of my floor. Even things I hadn’t taken out were out there. I couldn’t believe it. There was so much stuff. How was she was able to stack it so high. You’ve got to be kidding me – how does she expect me to clean all this up? On top of this pile was a little note written in my mom’s handwriting. It read: “The party’s over.”

Needless to say I spent the next two hours folding, sorting, and cleaning. When I came downstairs for dinner, my mom had a little smile on her face. I understood. My little tricks weren’t going to cut it anymore.

Anyway, I am reminded of this story because yesterday was my Mom’s birthday. She told my son that she is 34 and holding. Ha! I am so blessed to have her. I love her so much. She has been the best mom, always giving hugs and kisses but also holding me to a higher standard than anyone else did. So much of what I have achieved thus far is because of what I have learned from her. Her Superpowers aren’t as sharp as they were in the summer of ’87 but she doesn’t really need them anymore.
I learned my lesson.

Do it right the first time.

Happy Birthday Mom!