A Dance With The Devil

Charlotte has too much self respect to mine to the depths of meanness to which our mother will often travel.  She won't lash out. She retains a sense of reason. She won't resort to swearing like a sailor.  She maintains her decorum.  She rigorously holds on to normal, generally accepted conventions of conversation.

Mom does no such thing.

Charlotte listens as Mom turns the argument into a pity party for herself.  Claims to have so much to worry about (like this damn election????) that she is losing her hair. (No, Mom. I believe 70 years of home Frost & Tip-ing, and Aqua Net and backcombing and teasing are to blame. Though Lars would probably say it is her evilness oozing out of her head for lack of space...again, he had a way with words) But anyway, Bill has some ailment or ache or pain in his ass or his elbow.  This doctor is an idiot and that one won't listen to her. Bill does nothing but clear his throat incessantly and is deaf as a doornail so she has to resort to shouting. (He is conveniently hard of hearing and she would shout anyway.) Her real estate agent is a ninny and no one is maintaining their property in another state properly. The whole country is in chaos because of this President and people are going to take matters into her own hands. Bill is going to vote in both states again this year to do his civic duty in making sure Obama does not get re-elected. (Like it worked last time...)

Charlotte explains some of the moving parts of her balancing act as well, as if to say, "Mom, we are both very busy. It is easy to forget what other people are going through sometimes."  Her college senior moving back from his NY internship and then immediately heading off to his apartment at school - for which he is on the lease, and which is filthy. (Enter the White Tornado) Her college freshman moving home from his Animal House shore rental, where he, too, was on the lease, and which is similarly filthy. He also is off to school in a matter of days to a campus too many miles away. A flooded basement, and ongoing renovation, a new business and the usual hoopla generated by house and home and a rising high school senior.

In doing so, she hints that our lives are decidedly separate. We all live 5 states apart from one another. There are going to be some black holes. Some disconnection can be expected.

It is a rational statement to assert. But this is not a rational audience.