Only My Mom






People say if you love someone they never forget you. I’m not sure how true that saying is. My mom forgot me at a funeral home. Only my mom.


It was a regular day in middle school, teachers that talk too much, cafeteria food lukewarm. My mom came, and picked me up from school. (This was rare because she’d always told me to take the bus). She told me we we’re going to a funeral. I had never been to a funeral before. I didn't know what to expect. I pictured a big dark room with thunder clouds and really tall scary people dressed in all black. Perhaps they would be crying into their sleeves. I was nervous looking down at my pink sparkly shoes; I wasn't going to fit in. I had that feeling in my stomach, like I was going to be sick. We pulled up to this brick building with a green roof and door. I hesitated getting out of the car.
My mom tugged at me and said “Let’s go Austin”.
Mom said “There isn’t even a body here it’s just a memorial service.”

I walked in looking around there weren't any thunderclouds or scary black birds. Personally I was a little taken back; I thought a funeral would be scary. Yet, looking at these people I had no idea who any of them were, except the man by the cookie table, my dad. I saw this big box at the end of the room with white roses on it.
I tugged on my mom’s arm and pointed to this box and said “what is that”?
She told me that’s our friend and neighbor. My heart raced. They actually but a person in a box?!
She said, “Honey our neighbor John passed away and we’re here to show our love and support.”
I told my mom I had to go to the restroom, on my way my knees were weak and my legs wobbled. I started getting really dizzy; the room was spinning. The next thing I remember was my mom and dad waking me up on a couch. Dad still had cookie crumbs all over him and my
Mom said, “Albert, get those crumbs off. You look ridiculous.”


I said, “My head hurts.”
Mom said I fainted on my way to the restroom. Do you believe it?! I actually fainted.
I said, “Mom I’m going to lie here for a while. Can you wake me up when we leave?”
She said okay honey and she went to console the family of John.
A little later I woke up and I’m thinking it’s really quite and dark in here. I sit-up on the couch and call for my mom. No answer.
I called “Dad”, still no answer.
I got up and a man in a black suite was pacing rather fast in my direction.


He said, “I didn’t know you were here. Everyone left.”
I said, “No my mom wouldn't forget me.”


He said, “I’m sorry.”

The man had me sit in the front row of the chairs right by the box with the roses on it.
He said, “I’ll try calling your parents.”
After what seemed like an hour of trying to get a hold of my parents, I could hear the man in the black suits deep and calm voice.
He stated, “She’s been sitting here with her hands folded in her lap, not moving her hands or eyes, she’s not even talking.”
I could hear my dad’s voice on the other end, slightly panicked asking mom “where’s Austin?!”
My Mom said, “I thought you took her, you were going home to change and I went to the restaurant.”
I couldn't actually believe by parents would leave me at a funeral home. Well maybe my mom, but not my dad! They actually went to Morton’s Steakhouse for the memorial service, and had drinks and dinner and forgot about me! Only my mom.
So, about 30 minutes later, my mom walks into the funeral home, she kept calling my name. I was afraid to answer or look up from my chair.
My mom said to the man, “What’s was wrong her?”
He said, “She had been sitting there for hours with her hands folded in her lap with her head down never looking up.”
My mom starts getting a smile on her face! She laughed. I think it’s because she’s had too many glasses of wine, but that just what I think.
My mom nudged me on my arm, telling me to look at her.
I slowly whispered “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you”, you left me at a funeral home with this dead body in front of me.”
I wasn't moving for anything, I was terrified.
Mom laughed again and said, “I told you there is not a body here and it’s just a picture,” and said to the man, “Can you open the casket, and show her there’s nothing to be scared of?”
I looked up at her like she was crazy. The man started opening the top. I could feel my heart beating quicker, I could feel a hot flash running through my body, and everything went black again. I woke up only this time I was in the car, in the back seat, dad was driving. My head in my mom’s lap, the radio playing “She was a long cool woman in a black dress.”