My mother told me not to come into the dining room yet. I didn’t go in but peeped from the living room and saw her cover the long table with a pink crepe paper cloth. Oy. I stayed on the sofa and heard her filling bowls, carrying them into the dining room. When the hustling and bustling ended, she called me in. On the table were glass and aluminum bowls filled with popcorn, pretzels, potato chips. Smaller ones, really our every day soup bowls, held licorice squares, M & Ms and Milky Ways.
What was she doing? I knew but couldn’t believe it. My angry words came pouring out. ‘What is this junk, Mom?’ She came over to me and slapped me in the face. Oh, she was mad! Oh, I was so dumbfound, so hurt! This evening was to be my birthday party, my 16th and she set the table for six year olds. ‘Mom, put those things back in the pantry. I didn’t ask you for a party like my friends are giving in hotels, restaurants, sending out printed invitations, did I? How come you haven’t put a Pin the Tail on the Donkey game on the wall yet?’
I could not hold back my tears. ‘Mom, get on the phone, call my friends, call them now. Tell them that I suddenly got sick, am going to the hospital. My party is canceled. Do it, Mom, do it now or I’m leaving the house and you can make up any lie you want. Here’s my list. Start dialing!’ I listened as she told Rhoda that I fell and hurt my ankle. It might be broken. The party is canceled.’ ‘Good, Mom. Call Jimmy.’ ‘Jimmy, this is Laura’s Mom. Laura got her period and is sick as a dog. She has to cancel her party.’ I came close to hitting my mother. I was so embarrassed I pictured Jimmy telling all the guys about me.
‘Call Sheila next. Tell her what you told Rhoda.’ Mom said ‘O.K.’ ‘Sheila, This is Laura’s mom. Laura was slicing the brisket I made for her and cut her herself instead. She’s back from the hospital and has ten stitches in her hand. Sorry, the party is canceled.’
I was flying off the wall mad at her. There was no taking back what she had done. How will I ever face my friends again? ‘Mom, don’t call anybody else. Whoever shows up, tell them anything you think of, give them bags of the wonderful tasty treats you have spread on the table. I’m going out, don’t know when I’ll be back. If I do come back, I hope you are lying on the floor with tremendous cramps from eating the crap you put out for my birthday.’
As I started my run down the driveway, I bumped into Rhoda. ‘What’s going on, Laura? Your Mom called and told me you broke your ankle. I came to help if I can.’ All I could do was apologize and tell her to go inside, my mother would explain and I ran away, picturing Jimmy coming over , worried, believing I was bleeding to death. Four blocks from home I began to calm down, turned around to wait in case any of my friends show up. I will tell them the truth that my mom has flipped out and my party has to be canceled.
Sure enough, Sheila rang the bell. I explained everything, the baby candy, the ridiculous stories she told. ‘Sheila, sit on the steps with me, will you? Facing everyone, trying to sort out the lies, my mom’s weirdness was too much for me to face alone right now This was to be such a special night. I’m sixteen now, supposed to be a young lady. Instead, I am a jerk.’
Mom came to the door at that crucial moment and called us inside. She looked at me, made an uglier than normal face and told me I looked terrible. ‘Go change your clothes. This is your big night. Go get ready!’
The doorbell chimed before I got to the top of the stairs. I heard Mom talking to a man and looked down the stairwell. A chef, high white hat perched on his long dark hair, led four waitresses in lacy French white aprons and high heels into the kitchen. They each carried large trays of catered foods. The smell wafted to the hall.
Like magic, the popcorn and all the ugly bowls were out of the dining room, replaced by a linen white cloth and folded napkins, China plates, flatware. The doorbell chimed again and my mom let the florist in. He placed a gorgeous centerpiece of pink roses and white lilies of the valley in the middle of the table. All of my amused guests hugged me, handed me envelopes, gaily boxed gifts. I put them all aside while we dined and I listened to remembrances of our younger days, some befuddled, some touching, some hysterically exaggerated. After the many ginger ale toasts, Mom carried in a birthday cake for me. It was by far the prettiest I had ever had. She lit the candles and I had to blow them out. I blew and blew and not one died. I huffed and I puffed and pretended I didn’t know they were trick candles.
This turned out to be a new memory, an almost unbelievable memory, that I will someday tell my daughter. I stood, pulled the sparkler candles out of the cake and thanked everyone for being my friend. Plus an especial thanks to my Mom for being the wonderful Mom she has been and will be forever.
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