Page 66 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Reason To Sing

cheeky thing to do - twenty dollars, yes, twenty dollars. Oh, my
dear, Kelita, it’s so good to see you. Every time I see you, you’re
looking more like your dad, more like your dad.”
Mrs. Thomas lived alone and although she had some family,
none of them ever came to visit. That is why when we did, my
mother would let her ramble on about whatever was on her
mind. She needed to vent!
“Would you like a nip of brandy, just a wee nip? I think I
may have some to celebrate your visit. Would you like a brandy,
Vilda? Yes, yes, yes, just a wee nip. Oh, my but it’s good to see
you. Yes, yes.”
On and on she would natter. Her red velveteen couch wasn’t
just covered in hand-crocheted doilies of every size, there
was also a mountain of unfolded nightdresses, old, yellowed
newspapers and very outdated Women’s Day magazines.
Finding a place to sit was challenging. But once my mother and
I wriggled into a section, Mrs. Thomas proudly brought out her
Queen Mary tin filled with biscuits (that’s what the Brits call
cookies). I bet those cookies were over three years old! They
tasted like the room – stale and horrible! And I mustn’t forget
the warm flat ginger ale. I politely said yes to both. Because
that is what I was taught to do.
Maude’s warm English accent was so foreign to my ears,
yet I adored every syllable that rolled off her tongue. I was
thankful for the times that she did put in her teeth because
then she was so much easier to understand. And her good-bye
kisses weren’t quite so juicy.
Funny, isn’t it, how that lovely and neglected yet thoroughly
charming Mrs. Thomas captivated me. Her accent, stained bed
clothes, minor shakes, blindness, bad hearing, toothless grin
and old lady smells were all just part of the fascinating package.
After one visit, I found myself staring into the mirror in my

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