My latest Being Latino post titled Baby(less) Mama Drama (thanks for help w/the title LR) is about not being a mom, or parent in general, in a world full of parents. I mentioned my Mom’s new outlook on the whole marriage before babies thing.
I remember clearly when my younger sister and I were in our late teens. We were sitting at the table with Mom and asked her, “Mom, what would you do if either one of us got pregnant?”
There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation before she responded, “Las boto de la casa.” (That’s I’ll throw you out of the house to you non-Spanish readers) We weren’t surprised. Mom was always the quintessential proper Puerto Rican lady. We didn’t expect any less from her. This old school Mom that we knew never surprised us—pissed us off, sure—and that’s why this new change in her throws me off every time I speak to her.
Flashback to this past weekend when I was over helping her with some things. She handed me a piece of paper with a website. She told me I should check it out because the novela (Spanish soap opera) Aurora would be having dance auditions at a dance studio near our neighborhood in a few weeks. She told me I should go and try out.
I looked at her with concern, as if she was losing her mind and asked, “Mom, now you know I’m going to be 40 in just two short months, right?”
She just nodded and went on to tell me that I looked like I am in my 20s (thanks, Mom) and that I’d be great and why not at least try.
So I like this new, encouraging my crazy free spirit Mom. What’s next? A Mom -daughter trip the tattoo shop???
November 16, 2010
Mi Vida Loca