Verrrrrry Old...

SO today I took my biweekly visit to ancient Mother. I stopped off at Subway and brought her a tuna sandwich, which she loves.

We ate, and she told me that there are some days she wished she "weren't here" anymore. But then, she'd get a call from an old friend, and she'd perk back up.

We retired to her living room, and sat on her bamboo and flower print sofa. She bought it 30 years ago from my cousin Barry. The sofa is still in good shape. We joked that she could do an ad for the company, if it was still in business!

Mom asked me about some folks. I gave her a 5 minute explanation. I'm typically concise, so for me a 5 minute explanation is equal to a 20 minute one for most folks.

After I finished speaking, she made a remark about her late brother's widow. She was on a complete different page!

I got up to leave, and she told me that, no matter if she was angry with me, she always loves me very much. I reminded her that, in 49 years, she's been angry with me, um, ZERO times! Oh, she said, that's right.

So, at 90, her consciousness is reduced to platitudes, and snappy sayings she keeps in reserve.

On the way home, I spoke at length to my sister Sue, in California. I told her that Mom has such a high sense of people, she appears lucid and interested in conversation even though she really isn't, or doesn't have the ability.

Neil Young has a line in his "Harvest Moon" album about an old man walking. "You got to let him go," he sings.

He's right. We just have to let Mom go.

That other shoe hasn't dropped. It seems it's right on the edge of the bed.