Never Got Over It

While talking to CC today, I was reminded of two things that my mom always used to say to me. Both were equal parts frustrating, and to be honest, they’re still maddening to this day.

One day, I got in trouble for something. For what, I don’t remember, but that’s not relevant to the story. It’s safe to assume, though, that I was innocent of whatever I was being accused of. When my mom started getting onto me about it, I asked, “What did I do?!”

To which she replied, “You know what you did!”

“Actually I don’t, which is why I’m asking.”

Losing what shred of patience she had left, she exclaimed, “Well, you can go to your room and think about what you did!”

As I trudged into my room, I had no idea what I did. An hour later when she came to release me, I still had no clue. Thirty-five years later, I still have no clue. I am not sure she knows or knew.

On another occasion, I was trying to write a paper for school, and I was struggling with the spelling of a word. I went and asked my mom how to spell it, and she replied, “Look it up in the dictionary.”

I believe my smart aleck reply was, “How can I look it up in the dictionary, if I don’t know how to spell it? Perhaps you don’t know how to spell it either, and you’re trying to cover it up with that stupid response.”

On second thought, I now remember why I got in trouble and was sent to my room.