“Letters from Mom”

Mom wrote me hundreds of letters and would often send me greeting cards with snipped comics or articles from newspapers or magazines she thought I'd enjoy.

Mom sent me this letter about reorganizing my closet shortly after I left for college. It’s funny now to think about what a daunting task it must have been for her to try to deal with the disastrous mess of a teenage boy’s junk. I can still remember how precariously I’d balanced boxes of comics and old toys and clothes in there. She’s lucky she wasn’t crushed.

I should note that I have no idea who Wayne and Tom are; they must have been coworkers of hers.

September 9, 1991
Dearest David,

I came to work a little early today, but I don’t feel like starting, so I thought I’d drop you a quick note. I wish we had more time to talk, but I feel like an intruder – I know I’m calling too much – I’ll probably freak when I get this month’s phone bill. I’m sorry. It’s just that you’ve been such a big part of my life for so long, the center actually (you and Jenny) … You may not think I’ve let you go — you will never know the monumental efforts I have made to get this far.

At least I know I’m not the only one! Wayne says a lot of kids up there have pagers. Or, was it Tom? Oh, well.

I fixed your door Saturday. Actually, “fixed” is not quite accurate. It’s pretty much glued – OK super-glued, to the wall and it swings quite nicely. And I stained the doorfront and the threshhold (2 H’s?) which looked pretty bad. The only problem is – the door doesn’t exactly close all the way. It’s only off by a hair, a thick, coarse hair, but only a hair. I think we should maybe plane something at some future date – if we had a plane. OK – so I tried, and, to be frank, IT LOOKS MARVELOUS!

Oh, I also cleaned out the laundry room and your closet. I actually had to move that top shelf because the whole thing was pulled out. Those boxes were way too heavy. I put light things up there — like your three sleeping bags and a Mickey blanket, etc. I also found an empty Rum bottle – but we’ll discuss that later. The only things I threw away were an empty Nintendo box and the box your 4×4 came in. I felt so sick at heart when I saw the box. Maybe I shouldn’t have tossed it; I remembered you selling it last year and then regretting it. I feel so badly that I can’t give you guys more. It hurts to know how bad it felt for you. I’m sorry. I guess the only thing I can say is that, ultimately, every single person alive learns that “things” aren’t the most important. Doesn’t always help to hear that. I don’t know, maybe it was even as important to you as it was to me. Or maybe it was. Please forgive me.

Whew! Sorry. I just wanted to tell you your closet was done. Everything else in there is just rearranged. I know you probably haven’t been able to concentrate on your studies for worrying about that shelf …

Speaking of which, are you partying every night? Please, honey, for your own sake, use some serious discretion. Please. I know I sound like a broken record; maybe it’s because I know what can happen and I know you. Have fun, but don’t lose sight of why you’re there — it’s to learn, to grow, to make the first steps to a good life for yourself. (Did I forget anything).

I gotta go — I love you, more than you’ll ever know.

Mom