SCHMUTZ!

Yes, that evil word, ‘schmutz’ is the topic of this blogue!

What seemingly was an ordinary, customary call to my 91-year old mother, turned into an adventure of some magnitude!

“Hi Ma, how ya doin?”

Mom: “Oh, I’m feeling just fine! How are you?”

“Good, just callin’ ta see how ya doin.”

Mom: “How’s the family? By the way, (Here it comes) I got this thing in the mail from your sister-in-law Angela. I put in the DVD player, but all I get is this guy with his arms raised, and a lot of jazz like music or shouting, then nothing happens! I called Henry (her 87 year-old boy toy) to take a look at it, and he can’t figure it out either!” (I know, I’m very disrespectful)

“Hmmm, is it a CD disc?” I ask.

Mom: ”What?”

“Is it a CD disc, a shiny round thing that you put in a CD player?”

Mom: “You think I should put it in the thing where I play my music? You know, I did that. I got some music, but I couldn’t figure it out! Henry tried and he got the same thing!”

“Well, Ma, I think what Angela sent you was a movie, a documentary, ‘Young at heart” about some elderly people that take part in a chorus of rock songs.”

Mom: “Oh, gee,, and I wanted to thank Angela, too. That was very sweet of Dennis and Angela to do that!”

“You mean you won’t thank her anyway?”

Mom: “Hey, don’t get so smart, of course I’ll thank her, I just don’t know what to do. I think they should get their money back, that’s all, but how do I say that?”

“Well Ma, just thank them, don’t put them through some trouble.”

Mom: “Maybe you’re right.”

I hang up and think about it.

TLW (The Little Woman) is sitting next to me, knitting some booties for #2 Son for when he goes away to Potsdam for college in August.

“Joe, maybe you should go over there?”

“OK.” (I’m hen-pecked)

I arrive at Mom’s house, and who greets me at the door but Henry, Mom’s 87-year old boy toy. (I know, I’m disrespectful)

Henry takes out the CD, and suggests I put it in the music player first.

“You should put it in there first, that’s what I did!”

Being the young whippersnapper that I am, I disregard his advice and put on the TV, and turn on the CD Player., and pop in the CD.

Just like they say, nothing is happening. I suggest that maybe there is something wrong with the CD player, and I am greeted by an icy stare that says, “Better you should deny I’m your mother, than suggest that that CD player has something wrong with it!”

I try a second time, and this time the CD is rejected with a message that states the CD is unreadable! This gives me a clue! I take the CD, look closely, and there on the back is schmutz! Yes, I found schmutz!

“Henry, you better tell your girl-friend there, that she has to dust her CD’s!

Please remember all those that need our prayers, including my brother-in-law, John