“I’m having visitors this Thursday,” Maga said, as she described a few of my immediate family members who are headed to visit her. I dove into a story about how delighted I was when my nephew (one of her soon to be visitors) texted me when my Red Sox won the World Series.
“Oh yes,” she said. “I watched a few of those games.”
“Were you cheering for them?”
“Of course,” she said.
I glowed with happiness.
“Because I was in Massachusetts for college,” she said.
I deflated.
“I have a second feeling for them. First is for the Broncos. Well, that’s football. But all the Denver teams I root for.”
“You didn’t cheer for the Red Sox because you have a granddaughter there?”
“You’re the granddaughter.”
“Well, yes.”
“I’m glad you’re there to represent the family.”
It wasn’t the reaction I was going for, but I decided not to push my luck, as I was already batting 0-1. I switched topics. “Do you get any trick or treaters around those parts?”
“No. I don’t think so. I haven’t seen any flyers.”
“So I guess you’re not going to dress up for Halloween?”
Maga could barely form words around her laughter. “No, I am not going to dress up for Halloween. I’m past that. Are you?”
“No. Not this year. I do get to hand out candy to trick or treaters though.”
“So you understand what I’m going through. It’s not the same when you’re older.”
Halloween and other holidays may take on different tones as you age, but the memories of holidays past can be enough to liven one’s mood. Which, incidentally, can also be used to cheer yourself up if your ego’s been bruised by your grandmother cheering for a team based on her own memories rather than her granddaughter’s current living arrangements. Hypothetically speaking.
Abigail Mumford 