How could she turn up at my house and frighten my children like that? I yelled at her, “Get out!”
My mother only had one eye. I hated her for ither condition made me burn with shame. To put food on the table, she worked as a dinner lady at my school. One day, when I was in primary school, she came to visit me in class. My stomach dropped. How could she do this to me? I was mortified. I pretended not to see her, shot her a filthy look, and bolted. The next day, a classmate said, “Blimey, your mums only got one eye!” I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I wished shed just disappear. So when I saw her that evening, I snapped, “Why dont you just die so you stop embarrassing me?”
She didnt answer. I hadnt even thought before speakingI was too furious to care how she felt. I didnt want her around. I worked hard, left for university in London, and never looked back. I got married, bought a house, had kids of my own. Life was good. Then one day, my mother showed up at my door. Years had passedshed never met her grandchildren. When she stepped inside, the kids burst out laughing. How dare she come here and scare them? I shouted, “Get out!”
Quietly, she replied, “Im sorry. I mustve got the wrong address,” and vanished.
Sometime later, I got an invitation to a school reunion. I told my wife it was a work trip. After the event, curiosity led me back to my old neighbourhood. The neighbours told me my mother had passed. I didnt feel a thing. Then they handed me a letter shed left behind.
“My dearest son, Ive thought of you every day. Im so sorry for turning up in London and frightening your children. When I heard you were coming for the reunion, I was over the moonbut I wasnt sure Id even make it out of bed to see you. Im sorry I embarrassed you growing up. You see, love, when you were little, you had an accident and lost your eye. As your mother, I couldnt bear the thought of you growing up like me. So I gave you mine. And now, every time I think of you seeing the world through it, my heart swells with pride. With all my love, Mum.”
