Never Thought

He had big, rough, hands. Men's hands. He wore a suit jacket that was tight across his shoulders, an uncomfortable fit. He was all dressed up, his hair still wet from the shower was brushed back and the part in his hair was military straight. She was in a dress that looked new with matching shoes that looked difficult to walk in. Between them they carried a baby, first on his shoulder, then on hers. It was like they each wanted her, each had to touch first her, then each other. They looked like they probably saved to buy these clothes and go into this restaurant. A first mother's day. Joyous.

Outside the hotel, waiting as Joe checks in, an elderly woman and two daughters come out. The signs all round announce a Mother's Day Buffet. They all look fed and watered. Mother stops and rests against her cane. Daughter, skirted, steps into her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Daughter, in pants, takes the opportunity to step around and away from mother's embrace. They all pretend they didn't notice that daughter in pants avoided the touch, the Mother's Day obligation. Skirted daughter makes a quip I can't hear. They all laugh, relieved the moment is far enough away to be 'in the past'. Uncomfortable.

At the movie theatre there were only maybe 6 or 7 people in the same theatre watching Redbelt with us. Let's see, there was the two of us, two lesbian moms with a teenaged son, and a couple arguing over going to that particular movie. On the way out, I wait on the side of the road as Joe gets the car. The two moms come out and stand and wait at the traffic light. The boy is in the middle. The mom closest to me reaches out and strokes the boys neck, gently. He reaches out first to her and then to his other mom. The three stand in tender embrace until the light turns green. Lovely.

Looking for magazines at the grocery store I'm parked right beside the cards. A good looking Dad pulls up with a boy in the grocery cart and a girl, of about 4 or 5, standing with him. He starts picking up Mother's Day cards and reading them. "Mom says that if you cared you would have got a card a long time ago," says the little girl. Dad doesn't take the bait and hands a card for the daughter to look at. "Mom says that you should pick it out yourself," daughter states haughtily. Dad still does not take the bait, he just puts the card back. "Mom says ..." daugher starts in again. Dad bends down and says, "Just tell Mom that Dad loves her, even if he gets to busy to show it sometimes." Clever.

At dinner a Father and daughter take their seats near us. She's small but I'd guess she was maybe seven or eight. She's dressed up beautifully and is serious about her manners. She says 'Yes please' and 'No thank you'. She speaks with only a hint of Down Syndrome accent. They are waiting for Mother who has had a day off as Dad took care of her. Mom arrives looking beautiful and elegant. She kisses daughter then husband and sits down. The waitress takes the order and suddenly in a rush of childlike excitement the girl blurts out, "Happy Mother's Day Mom!" leaping into waiting arms. Mom, crying, looks at her husband and says, "There was a time when I thought there never would be a happy M..." but she can't finish. Father wipes his eyes and says, "I know." Perfect.

To Mothers Who Never Thought ... I hope yours was happy too.