Today my mother’s visit with me ended and she headed back to her home in Connecticut, my childhood home. It’s all the little things she does around my house that make her so special to me. Even my cat will miss her. Sorry Tip (that’s his name) your litter box will probably not be cleaned quite so often, your moist food will not be left on the counter until it reaches room temperature before “you are served,” and the bedroom window will definitely not be opened each morning at the crack of dawn so you can feel the cool morning air on your face.
Mom loves to play her penny slots at the small local casinos in my neighborhood and she has all these wacky theories and methods to her play, it’s quite mad. I was amused one day as we walked into one of her favorites; it’s where she starts out each day. “I usually get one good hit here each morning,” she says. I follow closely behind as we weave through the casino, we maneuver in and out the narrow rows of slot machines. I feel my breath quicken as I follow this women on a mission. I didn’t know she could move this quickly. I can sense her annoyance when someone is on the machine she likes to start on. “You can’t play that machine,” she says as I tried to sit down next to her. “That’s always the second machine I play.” I get up actually feeling a little hurt, but I know she has her routine. I start to wonder if maybe she is developing OCD. I know people with this affliction must have a routine. I mentally make a list of some of her other “casino quirks.”
– She must always play the third machine from the left
– If three is not available it must be seat five from the left
– If you get a good hit you must get up immediately
– Must order her drinks in a pirate voice, “Oy matey I’ll have another”
– Never sit on machine that shows it just paid off
– She must wear the same underwear everyday (kidding)
– Wears her left shoe on the right foot and the right shoe on the left foot
– Spin around three times before you sit at a slot machine
– Put winning tickets in pocket, use cash.
– Always use ten-dollar bills in machines
– And the most embarrassing thing is every time she hits a jackpot she shouts out across the casino at the top of her lungs “Boo Ya.” Who is this woman I ask.
I brought my Ipad with me to the casino because I had an idea that I was playing around with to do this blog and wanted some funny pictures. I was like a famous Hollywood director shouting out the poses I needed. I had a funny idea about how to compare her to Dustin Hoffman’s “Rain Man,” with her “routines/quirks.” I couldn’t tell her what I was doing. We were laughing our heads off though; I know I peed my pants. I love that she’s such a good sport.
Here I was trying to get the Rain Man’s head tilt. Jeez, how hard is it to tilt your head, I mean really!
You’re really mad. I’m telling you we are leaving and you’re very angry. Yeah, lift your fist up. I was trying to get Rain Man’s anger at being late for Judge Wapner.
I miss her already!
