I went to visit mom this past Monday afternoon, on my birthday.
Even though mom has been calling me by her sister’s name of late, I felt the need to share this day with her – to bring mom a piece of cheesecake and have one of our “usual” conversations.
I had no expectations that September 26th would be of any significance in her mind or that she would remember my actual name. It didn’t matter. If mom would have been of sound mind, spending time with her on my birthday would have been a requirement…along with lunch and a cocktail.
When I arrived at mom’s assisted living facility, she was sitting in her wheelchair in a familiar spot.
“Hi mom!”
She smiles…”Oh, hi! Jeanne!”
“It’s Mary, your daughter.”
“Oh.”
I sat down and we said a few words to one another. Then…
“Do you know what day it is?”
Mom thinks hard and then says, “No, what day?”
“It’s my birthday.”
“What?”
“It’s my birthday.”
Mom reflects what I said, as she heard it, and it comes out all wrong.
I try again and something else comes out of her, but it is still wrong.
Then I spell. B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y.
She looks puzzled, so I say loudly, “Birthday. It’s my birthday.”
The one-liner appears:
“It’s Steak Day?”
Ummmm…
As much as I want it to be a thick and juicy, medium-rare, New York strip from the grill day, I laughed and checked mom’s hearing aids. The battery had died in one of them. It was no wonder she had a hard time discerning my words.
Later, a couple of the aids came over and announced it was my birthday. She heard them and understood. Except, she thought I was Jeanne and the aide was Mary. I asked mom if she would sing Happy Birthday to me, to which she shook her head, smirked, and said, “No way.”
There was no winning with mom on my birthday and I was totally fine with that. This day wasn’t about winning anything, it was about spending time with mom on Steak Day.
I can hardly wait for Halloween.
This post was brought to you by Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday. For additional, awesome one-liners, click HERE.
Mary J Melange 
I hope your Steak Day was lovely ❤
It was a very good day! 😃
Does your little emoji have a milk mustache!? 😀
Nope, but I have one of these… 👾
I hope you had a Happy Steak Day, Mary. 😀
I did. Thanks Lois!
Happy Steak Day! I hope the cheesecake was good. Nice of you to share your day with her. Significant for both of you…
I bought the cheesecake at Wal-Mart. I’ve had it before so I know it’s good. WM has pretty good bakery.
Yes, very significant because I don’t know how many more I will have with her.
Your a sweet kid 🙂
So Halloween will be Stake Day? Don’t go dressed as a vampire.
So lovely to share your day with your mum even if it wasn’t about cake, candles and singing Happy Birthday.
Stake Day! Ha! That’s funny. I’m not sure yet if I’ll be dressing up for Halloween. I might have to recycle an old costume. Regardless, though, I’m wondering what mom will make of it or if she’ll call it something else.
Hugs Mary. 😘😘for Mom.
Thanks Cheryl.
You’ve just got to laugh, don’t you? Hope you had a wonderful Steak Day. 🙂
Oh yes, mom makes me laugh quite often…even though it’s unintentional. I had a great Steak Day, but I’m still hungry for that NY strip 😉
Laughter is my saving grace with my mother, especially when I can get her to laugh at herself.
And now I’m craving steak too! 😀
For dinner tonight? 😉
Sounds like a plan. 😀
Happy Birthday to your Mom, and I’m sure down deep she knows what a special daughter you are to want to spend your birthday with her. To spend a birthday with your Mom is a big deal even though I can say I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have at the time. My memories always include pork chop, dressing, and apple sauce because that my special birthday dinner she made for me. 🙂 Some day you will look back on this time, and you will have no regrets. That will be a good thing to tuck in with your other memories. 🙂
Thanks so much, Judy, for your kind, wonderful remarks. I don’t remember special birthday dinners as a child, but I do remember cake. There was always cake!