"NOT ME"

My Mother was protective. Not so much of me. But let someone mess with me, or I discovered in later years, one of my or my brother's children and she was heck on wheels.

When our daughter was about 3 years old, she was sitting with my Mom on a mall bench awaiting our return from a store where I had to tell my wife four or six times how good she looked in an outfit and yes, she should buy it. You see, my wife looks good and has always looked good in any outfit, but at times she needs reassurance that the ensemble does her justice. So I nod and sincerely encourage.

While we were engaged, a woman barrels around the corner and flattens our daughter. She's concerned and humbled by bowling over a little girl who shook it off. But my Mom won't let her apologize. "Are you ok? Do you feel ok? How do you feel?" the assailant asked.

"How would you feel if someone not looking where she was going knocked you down?" my Mom countered. The flustered lady left.

Which brings me to the picture. Two houses catycornered from us when I was little was the home of two of the meanest people I ever knew--the Baumgardners. I never saw either of them smile. Ever.

One day my Mom got a call from the Mrs. who said when I got out of the back seat of our car, that I had patted my butt at her. She demanded that my Mom keep me on my side of the street.

"I'm not going to keep him on our side of the street and I'd like to see you try to do it." That was her response. And, I must object. Not to what Mom had said, but if I for some reason patted my rear end, it wasn't at that woman.

People who knew her would tell you that Mom was the kindest, loving person around. Just don't mess with her kids or grandkids or she would go on the attack mode.

Thanks, Mom for always standing up for us. Even when we didn't deserve it. Which in my case was most of the time.