Memories?

My mom called today. We spoke just a few days ago, which means we should be good for another three weeks before another two weeks of phone tag begin. Yah, I stopped feeling bad about screening her calls once I realized she was screening mine.

But I digress...

She called from Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf, for those of you unfamiliar with the wonder that is the Great State of Maine, is the most popular ski mountain in the state. Oh.. ha ha ha.. dear.. hee hee hee.. no, my mother is not there skiing (falls off of couch laughing). A very "special friend" of hers is a musician, and he has a gig up there every Friday. She accompanies him on the three hour drive to and from every Friday. That's what "friends" are for, after all..

But I digress...

When I picked up the phone I heard a quite a bit of noise in the background. My mom was laughing quite a bit. "Hello?"
"OH GOOD! You're there!" (Where else I would be I'm not sure. My mother tends to forget my Friday nights growing up were spent working at a grocery store instead of out at parties and, well, I keep forgetting Friday nights are for fun. Ok, I'm feeling sorry for myself. I'm sick. And tired. And old.)
"Yah, what's going on?"
"Well, I'm doing this trivia thing (hysterical laughter) and (hysterical laughter) I know you'll know the answer to this."
"Mum.. you know it's cheating when you call someone, right?"
"Ooooooohhh yah yah yah I know that. But we're stumped and I've assured everyone in this pub that my daughter will know the answer to this question off the top of her head."
"Oookaaaaaaaaaay"
"Right. Ok. Here goes. You ready? (hysterical laughter) You're going to get this immediately."
"Yah, sure."
"Ok, you saw him in concert and got his autograph. You had him sign a hat.."
"Chris Isaak."
"YES!"
"That was the question?"
"What?"
"The question.. the question was what male singer did Wanda's daughter go see live and get his autograph on a hat?"
"Thanks for the help! BYE! (hysterical laughter)

Not even my mom makes time for my lame sense of humor.

This has all been a lame and rambling build up to something completely different. I cannot believe my mother did not remember Chris Isaak.

My mother is responsible for getting me into his music, after all. My mom and dad divorced when I was two and, sadly, I watched her go through some fairly long and well, eventually heartbreaking relationships. They involved cheating, lying, all the good stuff. Well, one breakup in particular left her pretty shaken. Lyle Lovett and Chris Isaak were two of their favorite artists. I'm assuming because when he was cheating on his wife with her that he made some indication of their music reminding him of her. I wonder if he used the same ones on the women he cheated on my mother with...

But I digress..

Anyway, there was a lot of Lyle and Chris listening in our house during the relationship and, once they broke up, whenever the music would come on, my mother would cry and urge me to turn it off.

So, I guess it's good that she has forgotten who Chris Isaak is. But I find it so odd that someone who had such an imprint on a time in her life is forgotten. Particularly because they resonate so much with me about that point in our lives. I still know the particular songs that she couldn't hear. I just can't believe she blocked it out.

I guess I'm wondering if it simply stands symbolic of our relationship. On two very different levels, in two very different places, despite living the same experience.

By the way, she really is a lovely woman. We just.. well, we're mother and daughter.

But, more importantly, was I really the subject of a trivia question tonight?