The Crew is in Paducha for the Art Festival. The Old Man stayed behind. Scrooge blamed the ghost of Marley,’ on an undercooked potato.’I think that must be my malady.

MJ is a wonderful mother. She loves Aaron and Jonathon with a fierce adoration. They have been our primary passion since they were born. We will take Mother’s Day Dinner tomorrow at Alongis in Duquoin. They told us last year that Mother’s Day was their busiest day of the year.

Neva J was always there for me. We had great fun. She made me eggnog with a raw egg every morning. When she left the kitchen, I threw it out the back door. In those halcyon days, many people consumed raw eggs… and liver. There was a pervasive fear that we had iron-poor blood. Neva J thought the crew cut was ideal for me. We did not agree. After Dad left, it was Neva J and me against the world.

Somewhere along the way, I noticed that Neva J was her own person beyond being my Mom. She liked to Honky Tonk and drink Slo-Gin Fizzes. She took classes in Photography. She had two years of high school and had to go to work in a shoe factory for $16 per week. Dad was serving in the Pacific during World War II. When he returned home, they were married.

As kids, we assume that we are the be-all and end-all of our Mom’s life. We are the apple of her eye. When Mother’s Day comes, we try to make up for lost time. Often, Mom is the best friend you will have. No one accepts you as you are and loves all of your quirks. Mom is there when no one else is.

We Dads, play catch-up. When Father’s Day comes next month, the restaurants will not make much difference. A necktie perhaps…