The Notary Bandit

It is hard to keep my mother in. She was always out before this. It occurs to me she may be feral.

She was part of so many clubs, and groups, and theaters, and choirs. And of course, she ran her own company in addition. It was a battle to get her to retire, and only finally took hold when I created a profit and loss statement for her last company and realized that, that year, it was just a loss statement. She was literally paying to work there. But she liked to be busy so she was ok with it, till I did the math and said “Are you putting money into the company?” and she said “No” and I said “Mom, I need to see your credit card statements” and then she started crying and I started selling off the furniture. Then I put her credit cards in a sealed envelope in her wallet with “Call your daughter before you open this” written on it. I literally have to protect her from her own work ethic.

She just likes to stay busy. So, she kept her notary public license, and her stamp, which allows her to charge money to watch people sign documents. She is very excited about this, and it has been her income for the past many years. It is also another reason her phone will ring and she will have to rush away, which is her favorite thing. My dad used to say that “her long-range plan is the next phone call away”. So, it must be particularly difficult for her, with this dramatic change of lifestyle. And it should have come as no surprise when on Wednesday afternoon I got a text…

I know her too well, and, while she doesn’t use one, there is a definite implication of an exclamation point, and I can just feel the sing-song sound of her voice. Like it’s a win, and a dare, all at the same time. She is so excited about this. She is breaking free.

Ironically when she texts me, I am literally sewing a mask for her. I text/beg her not to go.