Mother's Day - 250 Words

I grabbed my coffee and headed to the cashier. Caleb scooted in front of me with two small containers of bait worms in his hands.

"Jeezum Caleb, take it easy. What's the hurry? You make me spill my coffee, I'll make you eat those worms."

Caleb turned towards me and grinned. Near impossible to get mad at a 12 year old boy holding worms and a fishing rod. I smiled too.

"What's this fishin thing dude? It’s Mother's Day. You should be home massaging your Mom's feet."

“Yes, Caleb should be home massaging my feet. But he can do that later.” Caleb’s mom stepped around me and dropped 2 singles and a quarter on the counter. “She looked at Marcy, the clerk and asked, “That enough? I gotta run or I’ll be late for work.” She headed for the door.

Marcy looked at Caleb and said, “No Michelle, it ain’t enough. We’ll straighten it out later.” Caleb’s face reddened and his grin disappeared. He grabbed his worms and followed his mom towards the door.

The $42 I had charged Caleb the day before for fixing his bike now seemed like gouging even after deeply discounting my efforts. Setting my coffee down, I said, “Marcy, whatever Caleb owes on the worms .....include that with my coffee.”

Marcy smiled. “You lookin to get me in trouble? Michelle finds out someone paid her way and she’ll kill both of us. She ain’t got much but Caleb and her pride. Thanks, but leave it alone.”

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I am not sure why this became my Mother's Day Post. An encounter in a local 7-Eleven early this morning with a mom late for work on Mother's Day somehow got it's hooks in me. This was the result.