[ 3 minute read – 302 words ]
Well, there goes Mama. My Mama. Riding her little commuter bike toward the harbor, dressed in a loose, red muumuu, old gray house slippers, her butt hanging wide over the seat.
Does she care about herself anymore? Our conversation on the park bench didn’t give me many clues before she took off on her ride.
When a drunk driver killed my sister and business partner Carly Dee over a year ago, Mama let it all hang loose. She quit her executive job at the bank and filed for early Social Security.
“You’re making big decisions in your grief, Mama.”
“Life’s short, son. Gotta live life to the fullest.”
She let her shoulder-length, copper-tinted hair grow out to a shiny silver. LaToya, her stylist, cropped it almost man-short.
“Mama, are you cutting Carly Dee out of your life?”
“Never, son. I’m just not the Mama I used to be. I’m different, now.”
She moved to Florida nine months ago from our affluent northern Virginia town where Carly Dee and I had practiced law together. Mama planted an organic vegetable garden in her new home’s backyard and started raising urban chickens.
“You used to fret, Mama, if you broke a French-manicured fingernail.”
“That’s not important anymore, son.”
Now she digs her fingers deep into the composted soil and pulls weeds, yanking them as if they were painful memories.
I sit on the park bench and watch Mama ride away. I loosen the silk tie I bought in London, haunted by our conversation a few moments ago.
“Mama, do I still matter to you?”
“Oh, son, don’t talk like that. Of course you matter. I’m just different, now.”
There goes my Mama, in her red muumuu, pedaling her little bike toward the harbor.
She doesn’t care about her old life anymore.
I wonder, should I?
© Copyright 2021—Present, Jenise Cook, All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Published: 2 September 2021, Spillwords Press
Self Published: 13 May 2021, on JeniseCook.com
Image credit: pasja1000 on Pixabay.com
The Story Behind the Story
Last year, November or December, my Twitter writing colleague (and author) Carly and I chatted, and somehow I got the idea to write a flash fiction story that included her first name. I changed the spelling. Then, on Pixabay, this photo of the woman on the bike inspired me.
My imagination took off and the characters wrote the story for me. My Scribophile online writing community colleagues critiqued the story. After revisions, I submitted it to an online journal…on 17 December 2020. (NOTE: See above…Spillwords Press published my story on September 2, 2021!)
Today, 13 May 2021, I decided to self publish it as I couldn’t wait any longer for this story to see the light of day.
Your Turn
What do you think of this tiny story? Let me know in the Comments. I’d love to engage with readers here on my website.
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Hey Jenise,
This story resonated with me personally…as you well know!
It also reminds me greatly of
a friend of mine who left the corporate world behind a few years ago. She had an insanely successful career with a major pharmaceutical company when she and her husband bought a farm in upstate New York. A couple of months ago I asked her for advice on growing certain things in a greenhouse and she shared an unrelated piece of wisdom.
She wished me much happiness in this next chapter of my life then suggested I throw out my bras – “Trust me, the stars won’t care!”.
I asked her if that’s what she did and she responded with, “I saved one for special occasions. Today isn’t one of them”. She’s living the life she never expected to and enjoying the hell out of it. I hope I can too.
Halle!! Thank you so much for your Comment! I love your friend’s story, and am glad she is enjoying her new (real) life. Thank you for sharing it.
You will enjoy your new adventure, I know it. If I can come along, now and again, watering…weeding…whatever, I’d love it! 🙂
But, I won’t go bra-less. Would hurt too much, LOL!
Jenise, I enjoyed this is a wonderful story so much. Thanks for writing it. Best wishes and happy writing, Mary.
Hi, Mary!
I saw your comment late last night, and I smiled to see your name! Thank you for reading and enjoying “There Goes Mama”. It warms my heart to hear how one of my works has touched a reader. I appreciate your Comment very much! 🙂
May your writing adventures continue, Mary!
I loved the story, Janine! I love how you took a picture and pulled a great story out of thin air! Well done! PS: I read your interview and voted! 😘
Hi, Kim!
Thank you for voting, and I very much appreciate your Comment! I enjoyed your WOD prompt blog post for 5-22-21, about a word with “roc” in it. I can relate to many things you mention, LOL! Peter Frampton…ah…what memories. 😀