the back seat of a taxi cab
she is glamorous not the soft kind of glamour
the gritty kind, a tough cookie
guess that’s where I get it from
from her purse, a piece of Dentyne
she peels the wrapper off for me
pops another into her mouth
not cinnamon, gotta be spearmint
me- about 5, maybe 6
going to visit my bubbe in the hospital
my mother, her only daughter
she is afraid
get just enough spit in the gum, she instructs
turn it around with your tongue
round and round, keep chewing
i keep trying ….nothing
this lesson distracts her
from what she knows is coming
she will lose her mother
it’s way harder than blowing bubbles
her gum goes crack crack crack
i love the sound
like little fireworks
crisp explosions…pop pop pop
did you hear that? you did it!
she hugs me
i learned well, she taught me how
 |
| gotta be spearmint |
I can't chew gum in public anymore because I can't do it without snapping it.
ReplyDeleteI love the story you wound around your little fireworks.
This is a gem...this moment you shared with your mom...
ReplyDeleteI was teary at the part...
"this lesson distracts her
from what she knows is coming
she will lose her mother"