Life of Wry

In the end, what matters most are the kindnesses. Today, I was moved by a very sweet one.

Mom was ready for an outing. We were going to be seeing temps in Palos Verdes in the high 90s, unheard of. She was feeling much better and wanted to test her wheels.

She dressed for the occasion.. not that she doesn’t always dress for the occasion, but today was particularly fun:

That would be a floor-length striped sundress, complete with a fashion slit. And, also of note, she’s using a walker… that is definitely a new addition to the travel pack. This is important: it’s not only a realization, but an acceptance, of the need for a little help. It is a step in the right direction and opens a lot more independent doors than it closes pride doors. If you know what I mean.

It should be noted: she always dresses more thoughtfully stylishly than I do!  (I am losing the fashion competition, but I might be winning the wrinkle race.) (Grammar question: can you have two adverbs in a row like that?) (My blog, my rules: yes.)

Anyway. We went to the beach. And wow… it was hot, but soft and beautiful:

It was too hot for people to endure the scorching, exposed sand. Brutal.

Still… we sat, talked (argued a bit), hydrated … and took in the view:

Then, we headed to Trader Joe’s to get some flowers. We loaded our cart with multiple, colorful bunches and went straight to the checkout–no shopping, no taste samples, no coffee. There, Michael, the longtime cashier whose dreads are now gray, remarked on our selections and asked if I had a favorite. (At this point, I have to mention that yesterday, I was at TJ’s picking up a few things and got into a long conversation with Michael. He knew I was in town to spend time with mom and especially to support her as she recovered from a long hospital stay.)

I root around in my brain’s limited flower archive and come up with lily. Michael excuses himself, leaving us alone at the check out counter for an awkward minute, and returns with a large bunch of lilies–the really sweet-smelling kind often adorning our Dillon Beach cottage. He says, “This is for you, on me, for all you do for your mom.” Then, turning to my mom, says, “We are so glad to see you back!”

I’m pretty stunned, but also so delighted and moved. It was a perfect gesture.

~~

Here’s our cart, including the lilies:

Kindnesses. Right?