I REMEMBER MOM.

As the fall draws into the summer heat, and the children are all off to school, it takes me back to a time long ago that makes me smile at my own expense, Mom’s joy for the beginning of school.

It was very annoying.

First she would look at me, then break out in song, singing: School Days” in her most unappealing voice. This went on every year, until I went to high school. In particular the days I went to elementary school in Brooklyn were the most painful, a smile cracking her lips.

Right after Labor Day, when the school would call back all its students, Mom would take us out for new shoes and clothes to start the school year, along with composition books with the black marble covers that said: COMPOSITION then left lines for your name and class room.

But the night before was the worst! Along with the singing she would polish our shoes, starch my shirt and that morning, make me lunch. Sadly, summer was over, I had to now leave my freedom for the rigid discipline of the school. God I was unhappy! Not only could I not go out and play with my friends after dinner as I had all summer long, I had to sit and listen to warnings of grave consequences if I did not behave!

Then the morning of the first day of school, the past night went too fast! Going to bed that night, I though I had at least the night for final summer freedom: I slept through it all. And the next morning through sand encrusted eyes there stood Mom at the foot of the bed, a smile transcending the summer into the school year! Oh the pain. It seemed that the word Freedom was used a little too much with no American flag in site!

And so it went, every new school year, year after year. Mom had her silly times for sure at my expense.