"I liked the part when you said I was a good businesswoman," she said. "That gave me the nerve to start my own company."
"You're in business?" I said. "That's so great! What is it?"
"I have a clothing line," she said. "My own designs. MinWear. One word. I have a website."
"A website?" I asked. "I didn't know you had them up there."
"You never heard of cloud computing?" she asked. "I'm surprised; you're supposed to be such a techie."
Again, I ignored the jab. "Clothing," I repeated. Then, I recalled the awful outfits she bought for me in my childhood: the plain, scratchy green woolen skirt, the outlandish brown storm coat, the shoes with wedge heels to make me taller. And, I could see the cheap, gaudy clothing she considered beautiful for herself.
I bit my tongue. "“So how’s it going?" I asked. "How are sales?"
"Well, you know the economy," she said. She did sound businesslike. "It’s affected us up here, too."
"I'm sure it’ll pick up," I said. "So, listen, I got in touch to find out what you'd like for Mother's Day. Give me a hint."
"I love all the pictures you've sent of my granddaughters and great grandchildren," she said. "I show them off to my family whenever you send new ones. But, it’s hard with the iPhone you sent last year."
I had a feeling I knew where this was going. Now that Mother was a businesswoman and needed gadgets to increase productivity, I was certain I could predict her suggestion.
"Have you seen the iPad?" she asked. Her face on the computer screen was alive with excitement. "If you can handle the shipping charges, I’d really love one of those."
"No problem, Mom," I said. "No problem. It’s on its way."
"You're in business?" I said. "That's so great! What is it?"
"I have a clothing line," she said. "My own designs. MinWear. One word. I have a website."
"A website?" I asked. "I didn't know you had them up there."
"You never heard of cloud computing?" she asked. "I'm surprised; you're supposed to be such a techie."
Again, I ignored the jab. "Clothing," I repeated. Then, I recalled the awful outfits she bought for me in my childhood: the plain, scratchy green woolen skirt, the outlandish brown storm coat, the shoes with wedge heels to make me taller. And, I could see the cheap, gaudy clothing she considered beautiful for herself.
I bit my tongue. "“So how’s it going?" I asked. "How are sales?"
"Well, you know the economy," she said. She did sound businesslike. "It’s affected us up here, too."
"I'm sure it’ll pick up," I said. "So, listen, I got in touch to find out what you'd like for Mother's Day. Give me a hint."
"I love all the pictures you've sent of my granddaughters and great grandchildren," she said. "I show them off to my family whenever you send new ones. But, it’s hard with the iPhone you sent last year."
I had a feeling I knew where this was going. Now that Mother was a businesswoman and needed gadgets to increase productivity, I was certain I could predict her suggestion.
"Have you seen the iPad?" she asked. Her face on the computer screen was alive with excitement. "If you can handle the shipping charges, I’d really love one of those."
"No problem, Mom," I said. "No problem. It’s on its way."
©2011 Elaine Soloway for SeniorWomen.com
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