One Last Time

 

by Thomas Martin,  copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

My mother lived as an American in Post-World War II Germany and travelled extensively through Europe while living there.  She enjoyed her life and her experiences and she held tightly to the memories and emotions from that time.

Many times, I would be with my mother at a location and she would get a dreamy look in her eyes and I knew that something she saw brought back and memory from Europe.  When I would ask her what she was thinking, she would begin describing her memory in details such that I too could share in her joy.  

Through my life, her travel stories set the stage for my own time traveling, often retracing the very steps she took.  

Although my mother enjoyed going out of the house and enjoying lunches and dinners, my father did not.   When I would come home for a weekend, I would always try to take my mother out for lunch.    

About forty miles east from my parent’s house was Palm Springs and I knew my mother always enjoyed visiting that resort community.   One Saturday I asked her if she would enjoy having lunch there.   There was a magnificent Ritz Carlton Hotel just east of Palm Springs and I decided to take her there for lunch.   I knew it would be expensive, but I also knew she would enjoy it like no other destination and that it would also flood her with memories of Europe. 

It was impressively beautiful, the service was impeccable, and my mother smiled the entire time.  But, it was a very expensive lunch.  Not to worry, I thought, this was just a one-time treat. 

Well, the next time I came home, there was no way to top that lunch so again we went back to the Ritz Carlton.  My mother encouraged me to select a simpler place, but I knew how much she enjoyed our first visit.  So, back we went.

Several months went by and my mother’s health was in a steady decline.   I asked her if she was able to go out to lunch and she hesitantly said yes.   As we drove east, I weighed several restaurants in my mind and quickly ruled out the Ritz Carlton because of the cost.   Then it suddenly hit me, “What if this is the last time you’ll ever be able to spend lunch with her?   How will be feel having chosen a lesser restaurant?”

So, the decision was made to ignore the cost and return to that elegant dining room and order a meal fit for royalty where I could watch and hear my mother let out a sigh of joy.

It was the right decision…..   It was the very last time I was able to take my mother out to lunch.  She died about five months later.

If I had chosen a lesser restaurant, I would still be holding a grudge against myself.  Instead, I can think back to that lovely day with my mother and the happiness it brought her.