That Call

Slow down...

NOTE: Something very similar to this occurred when my Mother passed away 8 years ago. Today was her birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!

An hour into the Friday Night Movie in the living room, Lester’s phone buzzed to life.

“Need to take this. Can you pause it till I get back?” he said to Janine.

“Aunt Sarah! Long time no hear from. How ya been?”

“Lester James, you sittin’ down?”

Only three people in the world called him by his full first and middle names, his mom and two aunts, and usually when they were upset at him.

“Should I be?” Lester asked.

“Probably. Lester James, your mom died today. I went and found her on her living room floor about two this afternoon. I had called her earlier but she didn’t answer, which I thought was unusual. Did that twice. Then I thought maybe I’d better check up on her. Good thing I did. Found her on the floor. Couldn’t believe it, know what I mean? Not sure what happened. But fortunately, she and I and your Aunt Meggan bought plots and burial services a few years back. Kinda gave us a big discount since the three of us went in together on it. Well, at least I think we got a good deal on it. I’ll meet with the funeral home director and get all the details just right. Hopefully he won’t be a pain like it was when we all went in the last time. So, Meggan is writing up the obituary and she’ll pass it on to you so you can add or take out any details as you wish or maybe even correct them, and I’ve already notified the Times. 250 words is all they’ll allow. Can you believe they only allow so few words? So stingy in my opinion. They’ll want a digital copy of course.”

She paused for the first time in the conversation.

“Lester, you still there?”

“Yeah yeah. I’m still here,” said Lester. “Sorry, Aunt Sarah, did you just say my mom died?”