My 82-year-old Mom moved into our home three years ago. We remodeled our family room and it's now her bedroom/sitting room. Mom has advancing emphysema and is extremely limited in what she can do physically. She loves television, however, and watches it from the moment her eyes open in the morning until she wakes in the night and turns it off.
"Hi, Mom. I think I'm all done with the laundry. What are ya watchin'?"
"I think this is the second one. Is that Al Pacino or Robert DiNero?"
"You're watching 'The Godfather' again? How many times have you seen it? That's Al Pacino."
"I still don't get it. I never understand why they killed that Fredo. Are you sure that's not Robert DiNero?"
"That's Al Pacino, I'm sure it is. He's Michael. Is this the third one?"
"Which one of them married Tuesday Weld? You know who I mean, that dippy girl from the beach movies?"
"I think that was Al Pacino but I'm not sure they were married."
"Well, they had a kid together didn't they? She probably just had it to get more money out of him. That's what they do nowadays."
"Uh huh."
"I don't see how that Diane Keaton made it in the movies. She's not a bit pretty and she has a gawky neck. Isn't she Warren Beatty's sister?"
"No, Mom, that's Shirley McLaine."
"That's not Shirley McLaine. That's Diane Keaton playing Michael's wife in this."
"Yeah, I mean, it's Shirley McLaine that's Warren Beatty's sister."
"Now there's a big nothing, that Warren Beatty. I don't know why in the world that Annette Bening would marry that coot."
"I don't know, Mom, maybe love?"
"Love, schmove. She must have thought he'd help her get a big career or something."
"Well, they're still together and have several kids now."
"She probably signed one of those legal things where she has to stay with him ten years to get his money."
"Maybe so."
"These damn commercials. Look, there's that British comedy. What's the name of that?"
"Are You Being Served?"
"Am I what?"
"Are You Being Served. I think it's the name of the show."
"Is this the one that woman who played the Queen is in?"
"I don't know. I don't think I've ever watched this."
"She sure did look like the Queen. I wonder why those people don't get their teeth fixed and have some plastic surgery. It's not like they don't have the money. That Princess looks like a horse in the face. Have you ever noticed how big that Camilla's feet are?"
"No, I never noticed her feet. I'm usually looking at her hat."
"I kind of like that Reba show. She's kind of a loud mouth but sometimes it's funny. Is that black headed kid supposed to be Reba's kid or is he the girl's boyfriend?"
"I don't know, Mom, I don't think I've ever watched Reba."
"You don't watch Reba but you buy her records?"
"I just don't care much for those half hour comedies. I haven't watched any since Seinfeld went off the air."
"Well, now I can't find the damn Godfather again. What channel was it on?"
"Try 29, I think that's A&E."
"There, there it's on 36. I switch off to something else at commercials then can't find the movie again."
"Yep."
"Okay, look at that guy. Is that Al Pacino or Robert DiNero?"
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Comments: 32
thanks for the memories ...this made me smile remembering back when Doris was still relatively functional.
Or, maybe I felt my own patience/exasperation. And if that's what I did, that means you did an even better job of writing this than I originally thgught.
It's a mixture of sadness and joy, somehow. Does that make any sense at all?
This does bring back lots of memories of my grandmother from over 30 years ago, -- I remember having these conversations with her while watching 'As the World Turns', - she hated "Lisa"! You would have thought from her conversations this was someone she knew in real life!!! To this day, I can have the TV on when that soap comes on and if I see Lisa my mind floods back to those conversations.....I would love to have just one more with her!!
i think it was Al Pacino...hehe
Thanks for sharing.
10 stars for ya but ya said no ratings.
Since I haven't seen her in a year I know I'll notice the difference. She still gets around = but not like she used to.
Great writing!
Actually we had one like it several weeks ago when she was at the Quincy hospital. We were watching Grease but Mom thought we were actually in a high school and that they were the students. "Bob, don't hang out with those guys in the leather jackets...they are up to no good."
She also cautioned me about the naughty girl...."You don't buy shoes that have already been used, Bob. Keep your pants up and your dress down till you are wearing the ring."
Gotta love them.