Life

“Applesauce,” Harry told his mom. “Open wide,” He made a zooming-sound as he delivered the airplane into the hanger.

“Stop it,” his mother said with her eyes.

“How things change,” Harry said. “How about some peas?” he asked and began to circle a spoonful above her head.

Harry's mother clamped her mouth shut.

“You're going to sit here until you finish all your peas!” Harry teased. “That's what you used to make me do!”

She shook her head.

“Yes you did,” Harry said.

His mother kept shaking her head.

“I used to sit there for days,” Harry said.

She nodded toward the chocolate ice-cream.

“Before you finished your peas?” Harry was appalled.

His mother told him he was boring the crap out of her and she wasn't going to stand for much more.

He spooned up ice-cream. “Chocolate,” he said. “I love chocolate ice-cream...”

His mother shook her head.

“Do you remember when you made me eat Aunt Ellen's pie? I threw-up. Remember? I couldn't eat pie again for thirty years.”

Harry brought the ice-cream slowly toward his own mouth and his mother stomped her pink slippered-foot.

“I can't believe it,” Harry said.

His mother's eyes smiled briefly, then stared at the spoon not finding this funny anymore.

Harry began to make zooming sounds again and got a kick. She took the spoon on her own.

“I got to go,” Harry said kissing her on both cheeks.

She nodded her head with enthusiasm.

Harry got a final glimpse of his mother in her pink slippers, sitting in her recliner chair with a plastic shower-cap on her head. She was digging deeply into her chocolate ice-cream as he closed the door.

-299 words-