Hurricane Irene Hit ... and digs up memories

We were recently hit by Hurricane Irene. Well, I guess technically it was a tropical storm by the time it hit us. While most of the region was left without power, we were fortunate to have never lost power through the whole ordeal. We did lose Cable TV for most of the day during the storm. Cable went out around 11 or so in the morning and returned in time for the VMA awards (around 9pm).

Typically I'd be sarcastic "aww, what a horrible fate bestowed upon us to be left without Cable TV". However, the day spent without cable did manage to resurrect some strong emotions from my Mom. It all started like this ....

Mom: "I'm getting so tired of crocheting all day.I think this is a dumb question, but I'm going to ask anyways."
Me: "Mom, what do you want to ask."
Mom: "Will a DVD work if I put on in?"
Me: she didn't just ask about DVDs "Yep, it will." please don't play the DVD of the "old days" in Terceira
Mom: "OK, well, I'm not going to play one anyways. But was just wondering."
Me: "Oh, ok. I'm gonna go take a nap." please please please no DVDs

Fast forward to around 8pm when I head upstairs to check that her cell phone had minutes on it since we didn't have Cable/Internet and Phone. I walk into her room ... and she's watching a DVD.

And it begins. She starts talking about how she played a DVD that showed my father.

See, my Dad was part of a founding soccer team in Porto Judeu, Terceira. The soccer club was called the Barreiros. During one of my trips to Terceira, I saw that his picture was up on the wall with the rest of the founding team. Well, somehow we managed to get a DVD that documents the history of this little soccer team.

And that's what she was watching when I walked in the room.

She tells me that she liked my Dad since grade school. That she only dated maybe 2-3 guys, but always liked my Dad. She said "oh, your father had girlfriends, he loved to date around, but he told me many times that it was always different when he'd see me." My Dad lived in Graciosa for sometime in his teenage years, so sort of fell out of touch with my Mom. But after his return, he sought her out, determined to date her, and accomplished his mission.

My Mom told me that he would cry often in his later years (after diagnosed with dementia) saying that he was so hurt and sad that he would lose her. He knew he would forget. He did not want to forget the love of his life.

It's the stuff out of movies, that you always wish for, that never seems to happen in real life. Oh, I know they had arguments, everyone does, but to know that they had something since grade school, now that's a fairy tale come true.

She cried so much. I sat with her. Let her keep talking about the love she has for my father. And hugged her. And listened. That is all I can do, listen.

I reiterated to her that I love having her living with me. That I'm lucky to have my Mom with me. She insists that she doesn't want to be a burden. It breaks my heart that she would think she's a burden. After all her and my Dad have done for me, the least I can do is provide for my Mom a safe and loving home.

Thankfully, shortly after our conversation, as if on-cue, Cable came back. And we were instantly distracted by the silly performances on Spanish TV.