mom

"I had to ask this older lady, 'My friend just passed away. What do you think I should buy?' " They were standing in the grocery.

"It's like I had never done that before," she said, speaking of taking food to her friend's family. And from her tone, she's clearly at a loss.

My mother always knows what to do and does it. Unless, of course, it's one of those rare moments she needs to accomplish some exceedingly simple computer activity and the universe instructs her to call me up and push my buttons instead of clicking the one that's right. in. front. of. her. THERE. At least she would never forward or believe any ridiculous crap. She's entirely too sensible, no-nonsense--unless it's really good nonsense. The woman watches Snoop Dogg.

"I know we're all nuts in our own way," she has said to my good-natured assent, but even her crazy-making ways are really quite sane, given the range of mothering I have heard-tell of and witnessed. Which is why it's so affecting to see the embodiment of competence be so moved by the loss of her friend. It's not that she's ever cold--Do Anything for Anybody comes from the heart, not the head--but she's always the one who carries on, does what needs to be done. This loss is a flash to the future, the big ones to come. I hope we do right by her then.