Ship Out!

I was preparing for my daughter's first birthday party. One of my friends arrived early and came with her young son and to help out with any preparations if need be. At one point, my friend was in the kitchen helping my husband cook. My mom, my daughter, my friend's son, and I were in the adjoining family room. Mom had started vacuuming and meanwhile, the kids are playing.

Mother was attempting to vacuum the carpet in front of the couch. My friend's son happened to be standing there, as he was playing at the coffee table. My mother, you see, doesn't like "bad" kids. In her viewpoint, children should be seen and not heard. They shouldn't be running around and having fun. And if they're in someone else's house, they definitely should be sitting still, hands folded in lap, and quiet as hell.

While I can understand this to a certain point, I think grown-ups should have hearts and a measure of understanding, especially as they ascend in age! So, anyhow, I'm not sure if my mom was annoyed at the fact that this boy was in her house and playing and having fun, but while he was standing stationary by the couch and in the path of her vacuum, she firmly told him, "Move! Ship out!"

I responded by telling Mommy she was rude. She immediately got upset saying how I made the comment in front of "everybody" and embarrassed her. Mind you, my friend and my husband were still in the kitchen and not the least bit concerned with what was going on in the family room. And although they were oblivious to the "non-events", my mom was livid to the extent that she stormed out. I'm talking, she left and was not seen for the entirety of the party.

Actually, she was seen. One of my other friends who came to the party said my mom was outside on the side of the house. She was gardening and CRYING. Yep. I am such a horrible daughter, aren't I? And you know what's worse? Either my mom's a liar or she has unintentionally invented memories. Later when I spoke to my sister, and we're always swapping interactions we have with our mother and telling the other the details of stories according to her.

This time, when my sister told me what exactly had happened, I found out that I had misheard my mother. *rolling eyes* No, she wasn't rude to my friend's son. In fact, I really need to clean out my ears because she only told him, "Move, baby." Maaann - I know what I heard and that is NOT what she said, nor (if my sister gave it the proper intonation) was it the tone she used.