How Could She Just Turn Up at My House and Frighten My Children? I Yelled, «GET OUT!»
My mother had only one eye. I hated her for ither condition embarrassed me. To put food on the table, she worked as a dinner lady at the local school. One day, when I was in primary school, she came to visit me. My stomach dropped. How could she do this to me? Humiliation burned through me. I pretended not to see her, shot her a furious glare, and bolted. The next day, a classmate sneered, «Oi, didnt know your mum was a cyclops!» I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I wished shed just disappear. Later, I confronted her: «Why dont you just drop dead so you dont humiliate me anymore?»
She stayed silent. I didnt careI was too angry to think about her feelings. I couldnt stand having her around. I worked hard, left for university in London, built a life. Got married. Bought a house. Had kids. Everything was perfect. Then one day, she showed up at my door. Years had passedshed never even met her grandchildren. When they saw her, they burst out laughing. How dare she come here and scare them? I shouted, «GET OUT!»
Quietly, she replied, «Sorry mustve got the wrong address,» and vanished.
Years later, an invitation arriveda school reunion in Manchester. I told my wife it was a work trip. Afterward, out of sheer curiosity, I swung by my childhood home. The neighbours said Mum had passed. I felt nothing. Then they handed me a letter shed left.
«My dearest son, I never stopped thinking of you. Im so sorry for turning up in London and frightening your children. When I heard you were coming for the reunion, I was over the moonbut I wasnt sure Id even make it out of bed to see you. Im sorry I embarrassed you growing up. You see, love, when you were little, you had an accidentlost your eye. As your mother, I couldnt bear the thought of you growing up like me. So I gave you mine. And now, Im so proud, knowing youre seeing the world through it. All my love, Mum. I sank to the floor, the letter trembling in my hands. The world blurred as I finally understood her silence, her sacrifice. I looked up at the mirror across the room, and for the first time, truly saw herloving me more than herself, even when I didn’t deserve it.
