May 29...Oh Ruth

O K....today was Mikes day but since he would never record on the blog I will try to recap his fun times....

He called Ruth at 9 this morning and told her he was going to do the yard first thing today due to the heat and then if she would like he would come and visit her late in the afternoon. She said that made sense and she would see him later.

At 1 Mike went to retrieve the much needed golf balls for our Memorial Day Bash. He called me about 1:30 and said he had just talked with his Mom....he laughed... I said ," Oh no, what did she have to say?" He said she called him and said," Michael, the other Mike called me this morning and said he was coming to see me today . Do you know what time he is coming?" ...my turn to laugh at him.... He said," Mom, that was me that called." Ruth said, " No , it was the other Mike." Mike explained in detail his call that morning .Ruth said, " Oh,
O K but can you tell the family that I am not going to cook tonight ." Mike said,"Mom, of course you are not going to cook, you don't have a stove." Ruth said, " Um, whatever, I know they will be expecting me to cook but we can eat in the dining room if everyone wants." Mike says," Mom, I will see you later, how about 3:30." Ruth says that will be fine...

Mike leaves a little before 3 to visit his Mom....At 3:07 Ruth calls me . After the usual intro she says, " Teresa, where is all the family?"...I hesitate and say, ''What?'' Ruth anxiously says, " Where is all the family? They were supposed to be here by now?" I say, "Ruth, Mike talked to you at 1 today and told you he would be there at 3:30." She hurriedly says," Oh, I misunderstood, I am sorry." I said," No problem, Mike is actually on his way. Have a good time."

Mike was there for a couple of hours. She was headed out the door with her trusty Kroger Shopping Purse in hand when he arrived. They went back in and the whirlwind began.

It is too difficult to recreate exact conversations from someone else's story, especially one told by a man who is suffering from both a cigarette smoke headache and the fog that is a visit with Ruth so I will just hit some of the highlights.

As soon as he got there, Ruth's first order of business was to show Mike her medical report( been there and done that before). The next important item was her bill from Corinthians. Mike looked over both things and let her know they were in order. Her next thing was she wanted him to look at the menu for dinner. She said that the family may want to eat in the dining room. Mike said he was the only one coming. She said that the family was coming, all the kids. Mike asked who. Ruth said all those kids. Mike said that all of our kids lived in their own home and that he was sorry if he led her to think anyone else was coming.She says never mind...

Now she is ready for the kill...she has to get out of this place..she hates it here... she has so many options she doesn't know which one to choose...did she mention she hates it here...
Mike is much more patient now and he has learned the art of talking softly and in a more monotone voice to try to sooth her. He addresses each statement and is smart enough to ASK her what her options are(you go Mike)...She thinks for a minute and realizes she doesn't really have any...Mike tauts the great qualities of Corinthians... Ruth says the food is awful... Mike says maybe she should try to find things she likes...(Ain't gonna happen my love)...Ruth wants to know whose idea this whole thing was. Mike tells her all of ours. He tells her how sad he feels because she doesn't like it there...It doesn't help...That conversation continues for awhile..

Her next BIG deal is," does he know WHO BOUGHT THAT TV.." He says ,"Yes Mom, I bought the TV." Ruth rears up and says, "LIAR"...Mike says," Mom why would I lie about that?" She says ,''Terry keeps telling me the other Mike bought the T V." ...we're on the slippery slope now...Mike tries to explain , Ruth get really angry, Mike tries to calm her down, Ruth is not calming down..She belligerently adds," O K, tell me this..who bought the mattresses?" Mike quietly says," Mom, I bought them." Once again,"AH HA, I know you are lying. Teresa said her husband bought them." Mike says," Mom ,I am her husband. There is no other Mike. I am Mike your son and Teresa's husband. I don't know why that is so confusing for you but there is only me." She is livid...Mike is wrong...There are 2 Mikes...Mike just tells her he doesn't want to upset her and he changes the subject..how about that oil spill...

They talk a bit about world affairs and then Ruth asks Mike about his job. They chat about that for a bit...she seems to know who he is..

Next she asks him if he is going to move back to Westchester County...(welcome back Dick)...Mike explains that he has never lived in Westchester County. Ruth tells him ,"Of course you have, we all lived there. " Mike says," Mom , I am your son, I have never lived in Westchester County , that is where you lived with your family." She waves him off and says she knows who he is. She then says," Are you going to move back into the same apartment in Westchester County." Mike just says he never lived there...change of subject..

Ruth says Mike needs to go home and eat. Mike says he can stay and talk. She says no, he needs to get home..

On the way down the hall Mike is giving Ruth the continued pep talk about meeting people, helping people there,giving the place a chance. Ruth says she has met a man. Mike smiles and says," Errol?" Ruth says," Oh , you know about him." ..poor Errol, poor, poor Errol....
Mike tells he he just wants her to be happy...
Good night Ruth...You did good Mike