A Clearer Glimpse

I am getting a clearer (if that is possible...) picture of my mother's thought processes, and much of the road to understanding is dependent on how I answer her statements and/or questions. I hope I am ready and willing to learn.

The other day when Mom asked how I knew a longtime family friend, my sister made a suggestion. "Maybe she asked how you knew her because she herself was drawing a blank about who this person is. Maybe she asked you to possibly jog her memory so she could remember." I have been rolling this possibility around in my mind, and when a similar question was posed last night, I found myself responding differently.

I had spent some time last evening chatting online with a friend who found himself on business flight to Dallas. Although we don't see each other often, we have been friends for many years. I was working a jigsaw puzzle with Mom when I said to James, "Jon P---- is on his way to Dallas for a week."

"Jon P----?" said Mom, "How do you know him?"

A little better prepared this time than last, I looked directly at her and said, "Oh, I've known him for a long time." I then added, "Do you know who he is?"

She didn't flinch. "Yes, I know who he is," she stated, "He's the one who used to like Mart." (Um... that would be me...)

This time I was speechless, not because she knew who he was, but because I found myself suddenly wondering who she thought I was. Yes, Jon and I had dated in high school, she was right about that, but this was the first time I had to come face to face with the fact that maybe my mother wasn't always recognizing me.

James called to me from the other room. "What did she just say?" he asked.

And I just said, "I'll talk to you later, James."

So, today I am rolling a new thought about. Apparently Mom does not always know who we are. As tough to accept as it may be on one hand, it is helpful on another. Perhaps I am almost relieved at the answer. At least I know why she is introducing family members to each other and asking how we know longtime friends. Maybe there is even a sense of relief.