What Matters Most

A: Call your mother.

B: What?

A: When was the last time you talked to her?

B: About three weeks.

A: Even if nothing new has happened lately.

B: Nothing has happened.

A: Even so, she will be happy to hear about it.

B: Indeed!

A: I always end up on the phone with her nearly two hours.

B: That’s a lot of nothing to talk about.

A: True. I end up talking about movies I have recently watched. She never watches movies, so it’s just me explaining them to her.

B: But she still likes to hear about them?

A: Sure. I ask if she cares if I tell her the spoilers. She always says no because she probably won’t watch them anyways. She likes to talk to me and I like talking to her.

B: I think every mom likes to hear their son talk.

A: Towards the end, she didn’t really talk that much with dad. At least not about anything that they could agree upon. He changed the last couple of years before he died. I think he was depressed because of his declining health.

B: Does she get sad when you talk about him?

A: Interestingly, it doesn’t seem like it. I don’t really get that sad either. He always comes up in our conversations, though.

B: I still get sad.

A: Don't get me wrong, I feel sadness, but I usually try to think about the fond memories I have of him. You know, I can do his laugh pretty well. He had this high-pitched yipping. Listen....HIH HIH HIH HIH!

B: Ha ha ha!

A: Ha ha ha! It makes me laugh every time!

B: It’s funny!

A: I don’t want to forget about him.

B: You won’t forget.

A: But memories do fade. I want to keep them fresh.

B: So you talk to your mom about the memories of your dad?

A: Sure!

B: Does she want to talk about him?

A: It makes us feel close. It allows us to be with each other if not in person, then in spirit. One thing I have learned about dad dying is realizing what is important in life. It’s about the people around you whom you care about. Family and friends.

B: The ones you love.

A: And the people who love you. Everything else is bullshit! Work politics, social media, needy people. It’s all bullshit!

B: No shit?

A: No shit! HIH HIH HIH HIH! Ha ha ha!

B: Ha ha ha!

A: So call your mother.

B: I will.