Mother knows best

A while back (you know, when I had to go to work every day), I had my students do a writing assignment where they had to interview their parents to find out the ideal boyfriend/girlfriend for them, from their parents' perspective. We were reading Romeo and Juliet (and discussing parental roles in teenage relationships). I told my precious students I would do the assignment, too.

 When I asked my mom to describe my ideal partner, she offered three qualifications:

1. He has to be a romantic. She thinks this is really important to me, even though I don't know it. I'm going to trust her on this one. As long as it doesn't involve red roses, I might be able to hang.

2. He has to be artsy. She actually eliminated this one as soon as it escaped from her mouth. She said, "Never mind. You think you need that, but you don't."

3. "He just has to go along with whatever you want."

I said, "What!? I hate when guys are pushovers and don't take initiative!" She assured me that she knows, and she explained that she meant I just needed someone who would cooperate with my constant scheming to go and do something different/fun. Oh yeah, she's right about that.

I'm glad my mom's off this summer, too. She's usually game for a play, a bike ride, a hike, going somewhere we've never been, or a shopping trip. She basically goes along with whatever I want. She's obviously enabling my single-hood.

When we went to Walnut Creek the other day, she walked down the path to Nordstrom, sighed and said, "I just love this place." It's nice to have a mom who is one of my best girlfriends, who is also a teacher, who knows me better than I know myself, and who cooperates with my plans. Oh yeah, and who likes to shop.