Me and Mrs CMAT have been out, we got home about 4-00 p.m. and after a cuppa I decided to have a nap. Woke up at 6-25 p.m. had a cuppa and a smoke in the garden, as you do, then sat down in front of the telly, but there was nothing worth watching, so I read the news pages which mostly comes to a standstill on Friday nights on BBC.
The telly sat there playing to itself with mute button on, while we sat and chatted. She said 'See if there are any films on we can watch later.'
This isn't easy, as I won't watch romance, teen films or dance films, and she won't watch martial arts, gangster films, horror, or 18 rated sci-fi. I flicked through the channels and spotted that 'Back To The Future' was on, so I switched to it.
After about 20 minutes Mrs CMAT asked 'What would you change if you could go back in time?' (who has never been asked that before?)
I normally answer the same thing, you can't change history, it says so in the 'Time Travelers Guide', so I'd have a few big bets on big priced winners at ante-post odds in multiples.' but for some strange reason I said something I'd never said before 'I'd go back and try to get my dad to have a happier life, instead of the crap one he got from her (her being my mother).
I haven't spoken to my mother since my dad's funeral in 1977, and she never comes up in conversation. My daughters never ask about her, and my grandchildren have no idea she exists.
'You can't do that' Mrs CMAT said, and reminded me of the film 'The Butterfly Effect' (which she only watched once, not her thing at all), 'you may cease to exist and so will the kids and grandkids.'
'You'll be sitting here talking to yourself then' I said, smiling.
'No change there' she said.
How we laughed.
She was going to phone her sister at 8-15, but as she was about to pick up the phone, it rang.
'It's your sister' she said, and passed me the phone.
My sister said 'Aunt Rose just phoned me, mum died an hour ago.'
I replied 'Dad went at 55, while that evil old hag made it to 85. There's no justice. I won't be attending, or sending flowers.'
And that was that.
Not a mention for years, then snuffed out when I spoke about her.
No condolences required, save those for somebody else.
your Mum was 92 and you had no contact with her in 37 years ?
what was the problem ?
she never sent you a birthday/Christmas card ,phoned or tried to get in touch and you done same ?
did you exchange birthday/Christmas cards prior to your dads death ?
how far did she live from you ?
your Mum was 92 and you had no contact with her in 37 years ? what was the problem ? she never sent you a birthday/Christmas card ,phoned or tried to get in touch and you done same ? did you exchange birthday/Christmas cards prior to your dads deat
breadnbutter 03 Nov 14 15:06 your Mum was 92 and you had no contact with her in 37 years ?
She was 85, and there was no contact in 37 years.
what was the problem ? Mine and my sisters business, which is not up for discussion.
she never sent you a birthday/Christmas card ,phoned or tried to get in touch and you done same ?
No cards sent, and no contact attempted on either side. My sister tried about 20 years ago, it was refused. At the time she told my niece (sister's daughter) to tell my daughters that she was dead. They have never asked about her anyway. Due to wife numbers 3's parents dying fairly young, my daughters never met any of their grandparents.
did you exchange birthday/Christmas cards prior to your dads death ?
She got cards every April for her birthday from me and my sister, more to keep the peace with our dad. She got no xmas card from either of us in 1977. He died just before his 56th birthday, which was the 19th of December. He got early birthday cards. We had xmas cards to give them both, but when he died, we both tore them up.
how far did she live from you ?
Up to 1977, about 3 miles. After that it went up to 45 miles, back to a mile when I moved back to London in 1980, then up to 108 miles in 2005 when I moved out again.
breadnbutter 03 Nov 14 15:06 your Mum was 92 and you had no contact with her in 37 years ?She was 85, and there was no contact in 37 years. what was the problem ?Mine and my sisters business, which is not up for discussion. she never sent you a b