I called my Mother earlier in the week so as not to forget to call her on Mother’s Day. I wasn’t sure that I’d reach her, since her and my Dad often take off in the RV for a month or two at a time. Traveling across this great country visiting all of the family (except for me) criss-crossing from Florida to Wisconsin to North Carolina and back home to Buffalo, NY.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that they’ll never visit me directly, instead choosing to have me drive an hour or two to meet them someplace along their journey. I think they are afraid of urban environments and therefore refrain from entering them unless absolutely necessary. So, as the dutiful son, I drive out to have breakfast, or dinner with them, talk to them a few hours, then return home scratching my head over what just happened, and who these interstate hopping RV’ers are. They definately aren’t the parents I grew up with. I guess freedom from work and children has allowed them to become themselves again. My mother is actually loving and my father relaxed and humorous. He’s really quite funny. Who Knew??

Anyway, since I knew they were out on the road, I picked a time when I was sure to reach their cell phone voicemail only to have my father answer with a cheerful “hello”. We spoke a little bit about their trip, the museums and Civil War battlesites they’ve traveled to, the 18 hours of Blue Grass music they listened to and the route they still had to cover. After all this he asks me if I’d like to speak with my Mother.

Mom gets on the phone and starts in with how horrible the 18 hours of Blue Grass was and I can sympathize with her because all thru-out our childhood, Dad would drag us all to these festivals whenever there was one within driving distance.

“I called to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day” I said at long last.

“Oh? Is it Mother’s Day this weekend? I didn’t even realize that. You’re the first one to wish me a happy one” she continued.

“I’d like a record made of this fact in my file” I joked.

“It will be so noted”

“I’d also like to re-iterate that I’ve never asked for money, or moved home again” I added.

“Yes, and we thank you for that”

“Don’t thank me. Remember this when you finalize your will”