My Mother-Chapter 9

This is how it started.  One day in late spring, 2007-my mother traveled up to New England to see my daughter play a flying monkey in a production of The Wizard of Oz.  My mother has traveled by herself for years-lived by herself for years.  She was always fond of getting up and going-by car-by plane-and a few times-by boat.  She loved to travel to see her children. And then her grandchildren.  And for the many years I lived in New York-my mother became part of the fabric  there as much as anything.  We had our rituals, our stomping grounds and she would always frequent the (many!) restaurants where I either waited tables or hosted.  She knew her way around the city and my neighborhood-and if she did not-she made the most of getting lost.  She would jsut stop and ask someone-anyone- to show her the way. But that was years ago.  Though even in recent years, she had no problem hoping on a plane to come visit me-or driving for several hours to visit my brothers. She knew how to find her way-my mom.  Even after the cancer.  She got up and went.  But that was then.

Don’t forget your phone mom. Don’t leave it in the charger.  You might need it if your flight is cancelled or delayed.

 Yes. It’s charging now, she said.  But I never use the darn thing anyway.

Mom, just bring your phone….  And call me at work if there is any trouble.  See you tomorrow.

And just like always, she complained about having to get up so early. “o’dark thirty” she would say.

And then the next day:

The phone kept ringing at work.  My phone was registering a number I did not recognize.  I went back to teaching-and the phone kept ringing.  On the fourth attempt, I answered.

Uh, hi, uh, is this Gloria?

Yes, this is Gloria.

You don’t know me, but I am here in Philadelphia with your mother.  She asked that I call.  She, uh, doesn’t have her phone- she , uh, left it in the charger.  Anyway, our flight to Providence was cancelled and , uh, your mom is here, with me.  She’s really frazzled..she seems disoriented.

  He sounded young.  Maybe they talked college basketball on the flight.  Maybe she just flat out introduced herself-full name and all- and then began a conversation about the many things she loved.

No,I’m not.  I heard her say in the background.  I am just fine.

Uh, he said, your mom wants to talk to you.

  Gloria I am fine.  I am fine!( in her everything is not alright voice but I am going to Pollyanna my way through this so you don’t think anything is wrong with me, because there is nothing wrong)

Well, it seems US Air has cancelled the flight so we are being rerouted and, well, no one can tell us when we will get to Providence, but we will at some point.

But mom ( as 15 kids with anger issues are staring at me).

I’m fine! , she said. I have a book. I always bring a book.  I don’t know this nice man’s name but he let me use his phone.  He has to go now. And that was that.

Dammit Pollyanna. 

Uh, should I call you when we know more, Uh, so you won’t worry about your mom?, the young man said.

What is your name?  How old are you? What do you do?  ( because I know my mother, and she never meets a stranger and within minutes said stranger will know too much and she will not care one bit…I mean, mom….she’s, well, she is just too trusting.

Information jotted down- I can’t get back to class because now I am distracted by how I going to get my mother from Philly to Providence-my mom-with no cell phone. I am on the phone to US Air at once-demanding-at once-and trying very hard to be nice because-someone once said to me to imagine rainbows shooting from your mouth when you are upset with the other person on the phone-especially when the other person is being difficult.

Could you, please( rainbow one) let me speak to a supervisor.  I have a problem.

How can I direct your problem?  (USAIR voice from somewhere in a call center)

Well, it involves a flight that was canceled-in Philly-without warning- and, well, my mother is stranded there-by herself…and I need to get her-

Flight number? ( call center voice interrupted)

Ummmm, I don’t know.  (rainbow #2)  Can you look it up by name?

I am not on the page.  (pause) Last name?

I gave the name-with a double shot of rainbow-because now I am thinking of too many things that are not making sense to me about mother.

Can you just tell me what time the flight is expected to leave, so I can be sure to meet my mother beca-

 Young man stuck in Philly with my mother dials in-I click over

Hey Glor!  We are going over to Gate 5- we should be in Providence at 4:45pm.  And this nice man let me use his phone.  I think he is a college student.  Very nice kid.  Yes, very nice.

and before I know it she hangs up the phone-

I click back over to US Air. We have been disconnected.

So much for spewing  fucking rainbows.