The phone rang just as they were sitting down to eat.
``Its Mom again. Dave says she's outside the Bank on 87th and Birch.''
``Leave her there. Let's eat.'' They sat down and tried to enjoy the Thai chicken and blackberry tart.
``I wish I knew why she does it,'' said Jim, ``its not like ever in her life she was deprived...''
``She's just nuts,'' said Marie.
``You just don't do that without a reason,'' said Jo.
``My Mom, the beggar,'' said Jim.
There she stands as frail as a feather in her neat skirt and sweater, her beauty shop hair. Hesitant and sweet she approaches a middle aged man and woman. They bend toward her to listen to what she is saying. They reach in their pockets and two five dollar bills change hands. How sweetly their mother smiles, how gratefully she squeezes the kind people's hands. Two minutes later she strikes again.
``I wonder how much she makes...''
``I wonder what she does with the money...''
``Maybe she has a drug habit - do you think she does drugs?''
``I can't see her doing drugs.''
``Look at that, the cops don't bother her!''
``Mom, Mom. Time to go home. OK?''
They packed her into the Explorer and drove her home to her condo down town.
``Can I get you coffee?'' she asked.
``Mom, why do you beg? You've got everything you need you've got your Medicare supplement that we all pay for. You have a nice place to live and money for food and clothes and stuff and we're all here if you need anything. Why do you beg?''
Their mother smiled gently but said nothing.
``Mom we all love you. We worry. We want you to be happy!''
Their mother smiled gently but said nothing.
When they were gone she went to the pillow case in the bedroom closet. The money was neatly rubber banded in hundred dollar bundles. There were fifty of them. It was time to make her move. A ticket to Paris. A month in Paris by herself! To do as she pleased!
And the begging would be good, she just knew it.