Before my mother had Alzheimer’s, we had a ritual. Every Christmas I walked into the house with a gift to myself…a new outfit, a pair of shoes or some jewelry and every year, this was our conversation:
Me: Do you want to give me this for Christmas?
Mother: Sure. How much?
Whatever price I gave, she said, “Only that much? You have a good job and you can’t even pay for your own present? “ ( I was a teacher, she packed flowers at a farm).
When I took the cash from her, ( she always had cash) she would always say, “You not shame to take money from your poor mother?”
Me: No, no shame. Thank you.
Mother chuckles.
She has been gone for 16 years now and every Christmas, I have had a Christmas gift from her. This year, she was really generous and got me my first Dooney and Bourke handbag! Still waiting to get reimbursement from above.
Frances Kakugawa's Blog 