What began as a perfectly normal day, a few years ago, soon turned into a secret kept for many years.
What made it worse was the fact that all of this happened in the period of a day. A family member, who shall by known as “Margaret”, was going about her usual daily activities. They were the usual household chores.... washing, cooking. As she mumbled through her morning, she realized suddenly that something was very wrong.
Margaret came to me, visibly upset. I asked her what was the matter. Margaret confided in me that she could not, for the life of her, locate her glasses nor her robe. Margaret almost always wore her robe up until near the dinner hour, unless she had something to do. She could not see very well without her glasses, so they were a must have item.
I could only stare at her in amazement. Of course, that caused her to ask me why I was looking at her like that. She let me know fast she was not in the habit of losing things. I assured her I did not think she was that type of person. She asked me to help her find her glasses and robe. And of course, I obliged her.
Unfortunately, I have never been one to keep a straight face for long. So, in as serious a look as I could muster up, I told Margaret I knew where her robe and glasses were. Naturally, she just had to ask me where that would be. I told her that her glasses were on her face and her robe, well she was wearing it.
All she said was, “Oh my God!”
Later that afternoon, we were outside, when Margaret asked me to take some plants to the front porch. I asked, “Why not put them on the back porch?” Margaret looked at me in utter bewilderment, saying, “Cindy, I don’t have a back porch.”
Without missing a beat, I said, “You have two of them right there!”
She looked at me and we both started to laugh. She told me that if I ever told anyone this, she’d kick me. Needless to say, I have, after all these years, gathered up the courage to tell the secret. I am also wearing a pillow.
Copyright 2002 by Cindy Thomas
