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Jessie & Veronica





Continued from last entry.....



Veronica

On Mama's last trip to Cuba, she decided to go alone.  She was slightly apprehensive at the thought of going to a new place without a companion, but I convinced her that she would be fine.  With her personality and outgoing nature, Mama would have no troubles meeting someone knew.

After her week away, our first question to her when she returned wasn't "How was the resort?"  or "How was the weather?" or "Was anyone else wearing the same bathing suit as you??" (a common annoyance for Mama). Instead it was "Did you meet any friends??"

Mama quickly responded.  

Now remember, don't forget the Polish accent....

 
"Oh my Lord, you have NO idea.  EVERY-BADDY vanted to be vit me.  I already knew 5 people coming off da plane.  Can you imagine?  Every-baddy was so nice.....but no one could beat Veronica".

I was listening to Mama while preparing 2 Folgers coffees.  I picked up the hot cups and slowly walked over to the kitchen table.

"That's great Mama!  I KNEW you'd meet people!  Who's Veronica?  A nice old lady??"

"Oh no!  Veronica vas dis young crazy girl dat I became, like, best friends vith.  We were togedder all da time.  She never vanted to leave me!  And she vas POLISH!  Can you believe dat??"  Mama stopped to take a sip of her coffee.

"Oh? She was young?  How young?"  For some reason this threw me off and I missed my mouth when trying to sip my black silk coffee.  The hot liquid split down my chin and onto my lap.

"Like tventy, I guess?  Vy are you making such a mess?  Don't you know ver your mout is?  Anyway, da craziest ting happened ven ve vere suntanning on da beach.  Dis guy comes up to Veronica and says "I didn't know you would be here?"  Turns out, dis is a guy dat she met on anudder trip!  She says she is not interessed in him, but I said to her "Veronica!  Dis could be fate you know!  Maybe he is da one??" .....




As Mama went on and on about her new best friend,  all I could think of was.....how the hell did Mama become Veronica's new best friend and protege, and even helped her find the man of her dreams, all in under a WEEK??  And on a hot, sunny beach of all places??  

What about me??  Did she forget that her first priority was to find ME a hunky beach man??  

This was entirely unacceptable.  Mama had a new best friend.....and it wasn't me.  AND on top of it all, this chick was younger that me!  This couldn't get any worse.


I took another sip of my coffee and missed my mouth again.

Dammit!





JESSIE


In the middle of choosing bananas at the grocery store the other day my cell phone rang.  I grabbed it and saw the caller's name.  MAMA.


"Hey Ma!  What's up?", I pressed the phone between my ear and shoulder and continued on my quest to find the perfect greeny-yellow bananas. 

"Nutting.  Vat are you doing?"

"Just shopping at No Frills.  Do you need anything from here?"

"Oh. You are at No Frills??"

Mama does this everytime. She repeats where I am, thinks about it, and then decides if this was a good decision on my part.

After a few seconds of silence she continues,

"Yeah I guess der are some good sales der dis veek.  I tink lactose-free milk is on sale?  And so is butter.  Do you need butter?"

"Um, no Ma.  Do YOU need anything?"  

"No.  I haf everyting I need.  So listen, I went to Jessie and Josh's last night.  Oh my Gawd!  He is really hilarious you know.  He answered da door vearing dis big sveater, but it vasn't a sveater, it has a huge blanket.  He said he vas really cold.  He looked like a bear!  I said to him Jessie, vat are you....a bear??  Ve laughed SO hard!!"

Jessie is Mama's OTHER new best friend.  A gay man who lives across the street from her and who has developed a relationship with Mama akin to a long-lost son.

I knew they were becoming close when I observed them together at my mom's Christmas party back in November.

"Jean!" Jessie yelled as he ran towards my mom, one hand holding a glass of red wine, the other hand motioning up and down towards her dress,  " You look fabulous!  Anyway, listen, do you know what's going on with that weird neighbor down the street?  The one we were unsure about?  Cause I think I have a theory."

Mama's eyes suddenly went huge and she leaned in towards Jessie.  "Vat's going on?  Tell me!"

"Wellllll, I'm just sayin'.....I see women going in.....but I don't see them going out.....?!  And you know how observant I am, right Jean?  I'm pretty sure he's a murderer."  Jessie lifts up one hand like a stop sign and rolls his eyes upwards as if to let the world know that he just figured everything out.

Mama purses her lips and slaps her thigh.

"I knew it Jessie!  I knew someting vas off!".



So......Mama's new best friends are a 20-year old and a gay man.  

And I was jealous.

And there was no way I could compete with this new talent.  It was impossible.
 

I know what you're thinking.  That I must be over-reacting.  



Really?  Is that what you think?

Then how do you explain the fact that my daily phone calls with Mama have dwindled down from 3 calls to a measly 1 call per day??  

How the hell can you build a relationship on only 1 phone call a day???



--------------------------------------- 




The other day, the girls and I were at Mama's.

Mama ran out of the family room and grabbed kid's clothes that she bought at Old Navy and excitedly showed them to me.

"Vat do you tink??  Amazing eh?  All for $2.97 each!  Der sales are de best!"

"Wow Ma!  $2.97???  That's crazy!!"  I was going through all her finds, "There are some good stuff in here!"

"Yeah I know.  But don't you luff da colours?"

"They're amazing!!  Thanks Ma!"

"Ok, vat about my hair?  I need to change da colour.  I'm sick of it you know!  Should I go darker or leave it like it is??"

I was sort of shocked that my mom was still wanting my opinion. 

"What do your friends think??"  I gave my mom a sideways glance to see if she knew where I was going with this.

"Vat friends?  YOU are my friend."  


And with that, I realized that it doesn't matter who is in my mom's life, because at the end of the day, I'm her daughter.   And nothing beats a daughter!  Daughters have a connection with their mom that is unbeatable.  Nay.....UNBREAKABLE!  

I said confidently...."You're right Mama!  You and I will be friends forever!  BEST FRIENDS!  Super Polish sisters!  We will never leave each other's side........"

I looked over at Mama, who had already left my side to go play with the kids.







Oh well.


At least she's tied to me because of the grand-kids.   

She's mine forever.....MOU HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!

;)










My fashionable Mama.  Playing at a kid's park.  Because that's how she rolls..... :)







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