One Mom

Muriel's Mom

My mother was 5'10 1/2" and worked as a short order cook in the Orchard Bar and Grill in New Bedford, MA.  She was an insomniac.  She sewed all my clothes and often made an identical dress for my doll, crocheted my hats and made matching drawstring purses, and shined my shoes every night for the following school day.  In the summer, (we lived in the heart of a fairly big city) my friend and I played in an alley between our tenement buildings.  We lived on the second floor, and my mother would open the window and lower a basket with sandwiches, Hostess cupcakes, and a bottle of soda and glasses so we could picnic.  We had a corner drugstore that sold popsicles and fudgesicles and when it was really hot and humid, I sometimes had two or three a day.  No wonder I'm such a little piggie today.  I miss her with a physical pain on days like today.  Mothers should make good citizens and good friends out of their children, but they should also teach them that life is such a gift that it should be fun!  Mine certainly is.  And I thank my mom.

Comments

  1. Very sweet! Happy Mother's Day to all!

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  2. Happy Mom's Day to all. Muriel, very loving tribute and now we know part of why you are one of the nicest people ever.

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  3. I'll bet she was--and still is--proud of her daughter, the writer.

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  4. Muriel, Your mother sounds as though she'd make a wonderful character in one of your stories. Have you ever patterned someone after her?

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    Replies
    1. There's probably some part of her in every mother I've done. She was a riot. Thanks, Everyone, for the comments. She'd have loved you all. She'd have tucked in whatever clothing labels were sticking out on you, and she'd have told you when your hair looked funny, but she'd have loved you.

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