Yesterday my mom got the wish I made for her from Sideshow! We all work in the family business and get all our packages delivered there. She came in the office carrying the box and said she thought my spook prize had arrived from Sideshow, but she was a little confused why it had her name on it. Funny thing is, that made me happier than if it were my prize. I hadn't told anyone about entering since I didn't know if she'd get it or not. You should have seen her face when I told her she'd been given a Tick statue from Sideshow. She said how the Tick always makes her smile and I said yeah, that's why I asked for that!
Here is why I asked for it for her: Short answer is she sacrificed a lot for someone that was ungrateful.
This year was my parents' 50th anniversary but at the time of the big day we were working so hard that they couldn't take off. My father made plans to take her on a trip later in the summer. They my father's cousin called from the hospital. Long story, but the cousin (I'll call K) nearly died from a medical screw up. We rushed down to south GA to help out just as she was discharged from the hospital. They sent K home unable to even stand up. And so we had to help her with everything. And yes, I mean EVERYTHING. I was there a 1 1/2 months myself before it was a one person job and work required me to join my father in making trips back and forth the hundreds of miles to home. My poor mother was stuck with K for 3 months. My parents had to cancel their trip. My mother was the mayor of our small town but when she realized she was stuck out of touch for an uncertain time she felt she should resign. Worst of all we missed my nephew's first birthday, her only grandchild. And you know, she was great about all that. It was K that made it awful.
Staying with K was torture. The woman is difficult and set in her ways. Demanding. Prone to tantrums when she doesn't get her way. As far as she is concerned if you have a different opinion you aren't just wrong, you are stupid too. I could tell you stories about staying with her but let's just say I can see why she only has one friend, a friend I never saw in my time there. To make it worse, she hates all things modern. She will allow no computers in her house. She has no tv. Heck, she doesn't even get a newspaper or any non-hobby related magazines. When she once got a free subscription to Entertainment Weekly she was irate and demanded they stop sending her that "indecent" magazine. The last movie she saw in a theater was "Diamonds are Forever" when it was released, because her sister insisted!! She has books but her tastes are not ours. I knew she wouldn't have any SF or fantasy or such but I did expect an ex-librarian to have some classics at least. I gave in and read "Gone With the Wind" (about the only "classic" she had) and I tell you it made me so mad I wanted to burn Atlanta myself! So my mother was stuck for months with someone that you'd hate to spend an afternoon with and didn't have any escape. When we took her home we considered it a rescue!!
Anyway, after that I thought Mom deserved something nice. I also knew business wasn't great, made worse by our time away. I wouldn't have the money to get her something really nice for Christmas. K owed Mom a nice present but considering how the better she felt the more hostile and resentful she became, I couldn't count on it. And I was right. K sent a note a week or so ago saying she would not be exchanging gifts with us this year. Sideshow saves the day!! She hasn't seen pictures of the statue and is saving it to open at Christmas.
One last thing, last night my FATHER was sworn in as mayor! He didn't run but won in a write in campaign someone else started. My mother thinks this is hilarious, my father not so much. Between the Tick and Pop the reluctant mayor, Mom laughed a lot yesterday!!
Sorry for the long post, but
Thanks Sideshow!
