Part 6 A Moment of Reflection

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I wobbled into the bathroom, turned on the bathroom light and stood there, staring at my reflection.  Time etched on my face.  I spoke to the man in the mirror.

Me:  Why?  Why did this happen?  There has to be some reason why I couldn't make the marriage work.

Suddenly, staring back at me was my mother,  speaking to me in that sweet, loving tone of voice that brought back all those fond memories of her fucking my head up.

Mom:  Stop feeling sorry for yourself.  There's a lot of good looking men as old as you with thinning hair that meet lots of nice women. Stand up straight.  You got to do something with that posture.  How many times I told you to sit up straight when you were at the table.  Didn't I tell you that.  Didn't I say you were going to get bad posture?  Well, Mr. Big Shot, you're posture is not so good. Didn't I tell you? What are you worried about? You have a good job.  How come your commercials  aren't as funny as they use to be?
Maybe you should get new glasses.   You know what you're problem is, you're angry, why are you so angry?  Was I that bad of a mother?   I was a good mother to you, I never once said anything mean-- are you brushing your teeth, it's a little yellow, I don't know what to do with you.  Maybe you should move near me.  Forget her.  She was a nice woman but I knew you two weren't right for each other.  You need someone to take care of you. Maybe you should move near me.  You're a bright boy. There's plenty of crazy women like you out there you can meet. You know what you're problem is?  You don't have any confidence.   Why so neurotic?  I don't understand it.  I was such a bad mother?  You know what--you aged a little.  What's the big deal, we all age. You got a lot going for you--you look thin, are you still with that crazy diet of yours? Your complexion doesn't look so good.  It's red and blotchy.    Are you using the right soap?  You always had bad complexion, ever since you were born you had problems with your face.  I just don't understand why your relationship didn't last

 Suddenly it  dawned on me.  For the last five minutes, I was listening to someone else's mother in my bathroom mirror.