Mum And I

Mothers are crazy. Maybe parents in general are. The older we get our relationship with them usually can go two general ways - one of reconciliation for the anguish sustained during the growing up years, based on mutual respect and understanding, and acceptance that both parties are independent adults with their own ideas, thoughts and habits OR haywire.

I think my mum and I are the latter. I am usually driven by logic, not really a risk taker and generally see things for all they simply are. My mum is not really driven by logic, sometimes a whim and fancy person, an emotional rollercoaster (she's a Scorpio) and enjoys testing the boundaries of her imagination and vengeful psyche when things/people don't quite rub her the right way. (No mummy, not everyone is out to get you.)

(I blame Indian dramas for the latter. Those who watch this mix of bad acting, religious fervor, stereotypical behavior and exaggerated reactions in the hope for a little escapism from the mundane can unfortunately expose their cerebral receptors to dangerous seeds of theatrical concepts. When lines are blurred or worse still, when the opportunity to perform arises, the actor in every Indian comes forth to enact scenes of high drama almost subconsciously.)

What's worse, my mum is loud. I think her hearing is going - like those harder of hearing talk louder. So she may not be angry but everything sounds like she wants to pick a fight. It's worse when my logic nerve wants to have a go. So we all end up in kind of heated huff and puff, we don't converse for a while and it's over. In the mean time, my mum complains to my sister, then cooks. Her excellent cooking forestalls my temper and placates all concerned. (She's proud of her cooking. I can't even make an omelette taste like hers after umpteen attempts.)

Today, my mum is trying to convince me that property agents are playing a game to get us to raise my offer for a flat. Yes, they do want to get more money in for the buyer. That's sort of their job. But guess what, there's no one else in the transaction process to trust - the point I was trying to get across, unsuccessfully unfortunately. Sigh. See earlier statement on huff and puff.

As the newer grown up in this relationship, I tell myself to relax and calm down. Sometimes it happens. Usually I go cold shoulder. I shouldn't I know but that's how I work, internalizing the crap. Let it go, let it go, deep breaths in, deep breaths out.

Tomorrow's another day, a better day perhaps. Let's all get some sleep.