there are many ways in which a person can be spoiled. the typical things one thinks of are:
money
electronic gadgets
jewelry
cars
phones
clothes
and so i didn’t see it coming, but after this past weekend, i’ve realized spoiled can be used to describe me.
not in the ways detailed above, of course, because the ways in which my parents spoil me include them driving 300+ miles for a visit that lasted less than 48 hours, them picking up the checks at all meals despite my insistence that i could afford (and wanted) to pay for a north end dessert, them walking all over boston as we attempted to change up our usual routine, them explaining math to me, them tasting beer with me despite the fact our taste buds are seemingly unrelated (aka, we like opposite flavors), them patiently waiting (ok, dad was across the street in the bookstore) when i wanted to browse a little bit longer in a store, them taking directions from their directionally challenged daughter and following their own much stronger sense when i lost my way, them bringing me gifts of new dish towels because i needed some fall themed ones, them being flexible with the days’ events, them killing time by visiting my office and pretending to be interested in the technical aspects of my day job, them splitting a chocolate mousse dessert so i could have two cannolis, them sitting in hours of traffic, and them encouraging me always and loving me no matter what i do (or don’t do).
i never expected spoiled to arrive in so many different shaped packages — tiny, intangible, tasty, large, hilarious, family saturated moments, but then again, i do have an awesome set of parents, who are an amazing duo of role models, and two people i’m proud to giggle with and on the other hand take serious advice from.
i also never suspected i’d be so excited about receiving autumn themed dish towels either.
Abigail Mumford 