Conversation with my Mother
Mother: What are you doing?
Me: Eating cheese and sprouted grain crackers.
Mother: Sickening. You should be eating triskets.
Me: Why, they’re probably loaded with GMOs.
Mother: Right. If you say so. You’re in a fine mood.
Me: Well, I’m all alone and I can’t leave because I cannot tie my fucking shoes.
Mother: You can’t be serious.
Me: I have been trying for 20 minutes.
Mother: Can’t you wear boots?
Me: They don’t fit any more.
Mother: Slippers?
Me: I’m not wearing slippers in the snow.
Mother: So you are just going to sit there?
Me: Yes.
Mother: Well, you’re in luck.
Me: Why is that.
Mother: Because I am going to give you something to do.
Me: Please, not now, Mother.
Mother: Yes, now. I need your help.
Me: What is it.
Mother: I have this little… symbol.. on this motherfucking cell phone and I don’t know how to get rid of it.
Me: (Chewing) Is it in the shape of an envelope?
Mother: Oh, I don’t know.
Me: Well, look at it, Mother.
Mother: Oh, Jesus.. Yes, I suppose it’s an envelope.
Me: Relax. It’s called a text message.
Mother: Well how do I motherfucking get rid of it.
Me: You do realize that you are the only one left on Earth who doesn’t know this.
Mother: Jess, I’m not in the mood.
Me: Fine.
(10 minutes later, after teaching Mother how to retrieve this text message)
Me: Well, what does it say already?
Mother: “It’s going down tonight.”
Me: Jesus Mother, you sure have some rough-around-the-edges friends.
Mother: This is from no friend of mine. I never give this number out. To anybody.
Me: Well, I guess it’s a wrong number.
Mother: Of course it’s a wrong number, Jessica.
Me: Well, then let’s erase it.
Mother: I don’t know how to motherfucking erase it.
Me: I know you don’t.
(15 minutes later, after I teach my mother how to erase it)
Mother: Thank you.
Me: You’re welcome.
(30 minutes later)
Me: Yes, Mother. What is it now.
Mother: What are you doing?
Me: I’m eating sprouted grain crackers and cheese.
Mother: Still?
Me: I’m fucking pregnant Mother, what else should I do?
Mother: Well, I need you to set the trough aside.
Me: Why.
Mother: There’s another one of those fucking envelopes on my cell phone.
Me: Did you retrieve it?
Mother: Yes, Jessica. Please, do not patronize me.
Me: Well.. What does it say?
Mother: “It’s going down tonight.”
Me: Again?
Mother: I don’t know Jessica. It didn’t say again.
Me: Weird. I wonder if it went down already, or if these guys are really productive.
Mother: I don’t fucking know Jessica.
Me: Well, what are you going to do?
Mother: I erased it. That’s what I fucking did!
Me: Did it say who it was from?
Mother: Yes. It did. It said, The German Club. And it was signed VA.
Me: Like the VA hospital?
Mother: I don’t know, Jessica. Like someone’s initials.
Me: Hmmm. Maybe it's a Nazi group that's headquartered in the V.A. hospital. Maybe they were too hopped up on their meds to bring it down before, so now, it’s going down for real.
Mother: Frankly I don’t give a shit if goes down or not. I just want them to stop leaving me messages.
Me: Well, unless you want me to call them, there’s nothing I can do for you.
Mother: All right then.
(30 minutes later, phone rings)
Me: (chewing) Yes?
Mother: Well, are you ready for some more drama?
Me: Having a mother like you, I have learned to always be ready for some more drama.
Mother: There was another message.
Me: And what did it say this time?
Mother: “It’s going down tonight.. Big time…” And it was signed again by the German Club with those same initials, VA.
Me: Well, Mother, I think you’ve got to do something about this.
Mother: I can’t.
Me: Of course you can.
Mother: No, I can’t. By the time I thought of calling the Feds, I already erased it.
Me: Well, Mother, guess what… Even if you did erase it, I’m sure it’s still on record somewhere.
Mother: That makes no sense whatsoever, Jessica.
Me: You just don’t understand technology.
Mother: Fine… Maybe I should get involved…
Me: You could be a hero, Mother.
Mother: Ok, I’ll tell you what, darling. I’ll call the Feds.. And then I’ll call you back.
Me: Don’t you think you should call the police first?
Mother: Darling, in a situation like this, you always call the Feds. I do hope you know this. You never call the local police. Unless someone is bleeding on your carpet, you always call the Feds.
Me: Good to know.
(15 minutes later)
Mother: Well, the Feds weren’t interested. They said, “Don’t worry. They’re probably just getting ready for a big party,” and I said, “Well, if that’s how you’re going to perceive a party, then that’s fine by me.”
Me: Well, you did your part, Mother. Now, if we hear of any V.A. German Club Massacres, at least we will know that fair warning was given!