Pedis with Used to Be Mom

"I hate it here!" First words from UTBM when I call her.

"Why?" I don't really want to know the answer.

"It's just so different here. We have to eat off paper plates. Nobody can come into because of the quarantine so we have no entertainment, no cards, no exercise. I wish I were dead."

I tell her I can't talk to her right then. An hour later she calls all "Honey" this and "Darling" that. My mother never gushed like that before.

We arrange for an outing where she'll get her toenails done. She's shocked you can just go into a shop and have that done without an appointment.

The girl who takes my mom is kind and respectful. She invites her to choose the polish and then after a little cajoling she chooses peach. She has some misgivings about the selection. "Whores colour their nails!" Okay now Mom is who I know her to be. I remind her lots has changed since the 40s. I dare her to live a little.

She doesn't know why her chair is moving and tells the girl it's broken. She doesn't like or want any chair massaging her. I glance down at her feet. All bunions, and bumps and a blue toe. Her veiny legs look painful though she reassures me they're not. I wonder how she actually walks without her feet hurting her.

We have to let the polish dry. She's impatient and feels it with her fingers. The patient girl becomes peevish. She admonishes Used to Be Mother to not touch and to not put on her shoes.

UTBM is shocked that we are walking outside with these cheap flip flops. She can't walk properly. This isn't turning out quite like I had hoped. She's grumpy and unpleasant. Just when I thought I had Mom back for a minute or two.