Dear Mama

“An embarrassing story about mom? I have no embarrassing story about mom. No, wait a minute. I don’t think I have one.”  

[“Are you sure?”] 

[John ponders...] 

“Um... No, I’m sure!” 

I like Mom. We have a good time. We always give her flowers for Mother’s Day-special flowers even when it’s not Mother’s Day - or stuff for Easter or Christmas. 

Mom and I share things like movies and music and food and fun! 

We always ask her what she wants for dinner or lunch or breakfast or like a snack and where to go out to eat after church on Sunday... For her birthday, sometimes we take her out and get her something special... California Dreaming is a place I like to take her. 

And her food—I enjoy her cooking—she's got some good recipes. My favorite food that I don’t normally eat would be her macaroni and cheese. And, after Thanksgiving (and her dressing) I love to eat her Chicken [Turkey] Rice Perlot... 

We watch movies together sometimes, but there isn’t a specific one that we watch together. Sometimes Mom likes to go to movies, she sometimes watches Action, some Comedy, but not Scary; well, sometimes the Black and White scary, like Alfred Hitchcock...   

We go all over together. Places like Florida and the mountains and we have a lot of fun. 

What makes her special to me? I ask myself that same question, why’s mom special? Because she’s my mom... 

She’s nice. She’s fun. And, sometimes she’s a little bit shy, as usual—and the reason I say that is because she doesn’t really have anybody to talk to or really talk in general. She’s kinda like me. 

Mom picks out the best clothes for me. She’s got style.  

If I hurt myself, she bandages me up. 

Special-wise— again, she's my mom! 

And, sometimes we talk... if I’m sad or have a problem or depressed or just want to talk. I try to get out of depression sometimes. I talk to her and it feels wonderful when I talk to her. When I’m sad we go for a ride and we always go downtown to the Battery. It helps me get out of the sad spirit. Mom lifts my spirits! 

She’s the only mom I’ve got! And I love her because she’s my mom! 

[Whether John does or doesn’t have a tale or two... we’ll never know... cause ultimately, it’s just between him and Jeannie – his mom!] 

~ John Joyner