2017 Aug 28^th

Sometimes communication is very difficult. Here is an example:

Mother

“Hi Mom; how are you today?”

“I’m just so disappointed and distressed I don’t know what to do.”

“What’s wrong Mom?”

“You know that I never got a Christmas card from you.”

“But Mom I called you Christmas day to wish you Merry Christmas and to see if you got those books and the records of Christmas carols you wanted. Don’t you remember? We talked for nearly an hour Christmas morning.”

“But I have these other Christmas cards on the mantle above the fireplace but there is nothing there from you…(sigh)… I guess you just forgot. Well that’s alright I’m sure you’re too busy to remember something like that.”

“Actually Mom I have been busy; I’ve met a girl I really like and I want you to meet her.”

“That’s fine son. Where does she live?”

“She lives with her folks over in Homewood.”

“She lives in Homewood? We don’t know anyone who lives in Homewood. That is a terrible neighborhood.”

“Mom, her folks have a very nice house.”

“She lives with her parents does she?”

“Yes, she lives with her folks.”

“Why does she live at home? Can’t she find a job?”

“She has a job; she works in a drugstore over on East Eighth Street.

“Oh my Lord; you aren’t getting mixed up with drugs now. Please tell me you aren’t into drugs!”

“Mother, she works in a drugstore. She is a druggist, a pharmacist. That means she has a doctor of 
pharmacy degree. She has more college than I do.”

‘Well, that education won’t make a bit of difference if she is into drugs. You know those people can get all the drugs they want. You be careful because once she gets you hooked on drugs…

“Mom she only sells drugs to people who have prescriptions from their doctors.”

“You can get a doctor to provide a prescription for whatever you want. Don’t you see those TV ads that say ‘Get your doctor to provide a trial of …’ and she can also use those drugs herself or she can give them to you!”

“Mom they have to account for every narcotic pill they dispense. The State controls all that.”

“And aren’t you an accountant? What will happen when that bank you work for finds out about this?”

 “Mom, her drugstore does all their banking right here. And they have an excellent credit rating.”

“Well, you weren’t brought up this way; first you date a woman who sells drugs for a living and then you work for a bank that does money-laundering for drug dealers. I’m so ashamed!”

“MOTHER!”