I TOLD You There's a Reason Why!!

Taken from a recent conversation with my mother:

Last week after putting in a 16 hour day I decided to stop in and say hi to my mom. She was sitting in her bedroom with the lights off playing Mahjongg on the computer and listening to the BYU (church) channel on TV. I came and fell onto her bed and we started talking. At one point I looked up and noticed that the program that she was watching/listening to was discussing the growing, harvesting, packaging, and preserving of mushrooms. Yep. Mushrooms. I have no idea why anyone would find this interesting enough to dedicate an entire program to but what can I say...

So anyway, I innocently made the comment that she was watching probably the only channel on television that could air that particular program and not be in danger of being sanctioned or shut down. Only in Mormon Land would a program like this not be considered something strange (and I say that with all the love in the world... really!).

Mom turns around and says "Why? What's wrong with mushrooms?"

"Ummm... are you serious?" Keep in mind that my head is pounding and the two brain cells I have aren't currently speaking to each other.

"Yeah... why wouldn't I be?"

"Well you know, there is the whole mushrooms being used to get high thing... you know, Magic Mushrooms... similar to LSD... A lotta people would probably take issue with this show, they'd probably feel that those two things were somehow related, or something" I mumble with my head buried in my arms. I'm laying on my stomach trying like hell to keep the light from reaching my eyes.

"Andria, can I just say again how much I HATE it that you know things like that?!" she says while continuing to play her game.

I look up at her to try and tell if she's serious. "What do you mean? It was your generation that made that information common knowledge." It's not like this is job related info or anything!

"MY generation?!! So it's all MY fault? Like I had anything to do with drugs! And what do you mean by that anyway!?" She sputters getting increasingly upset (and loud). (Personally I think she's overly hostile because she knows that I know that there was a time that she smoked pot and basically partied her ass off.)

"Oh you know, there was that whole movement that began in the 60's with that musician... what's his name? You know the one, long beard, tie-dye, dancing bears... Oh come on, I can't think of his name right now but you must know who I'm talking about. Someone auctioned off the man's toilet seat here recently, for heavens sake!" I now have a sinking suspicion that this conversation is quickly going to make me wish I had just gone to bed. For whatever reason, maybe just in an attempt to convince myself that my mother has in fact lived on the same planet as the rest of us, I decide to stick with it a little longer. I now have a full fledged marching band playing in my head.

"Andria, I have no idea what you're talking about! Dancing bears and a toilet seat? What does any of this have to do with growing mushrooms?" She asks laughing.

"Oh hell. Come on mom, work with me here... what WAS that man's name?" I'm frantically wracking my brain at this point. "Garcia... Garcia something... Jerry Garcia! That's it! The Grateful Dead was led by Jerry Garcia back in the 60's and 70's and amassed such a cult following that you can still find bumper stickers with dancing bears and the word 'Shrooms' on them all over town. I think our next door neighbor's car has one on it. Surely you know what I'm talking about now, right?" I'm totally thrilled that I managed to remember the name and totally thinking at this point that she'll figure out what I'm talking about and laugh it off. WHEN will I ever learn??

"The Grateful Dead?! What kind of name is that anyway? I think it's offensive! No respect for all of those who died!" She says self righteously.

"!! Are you serious?!"

"Yeah. I am. I remember hearing the name of them back then but my friends and I were good girls. We never actually listened to music like that. We stuck with more wholesome activities. And besides, what does any of this have to do with mushrooms?"

*sigh* "Nothing mom. I'm sorry. I must have been confused. I woke up to a headache this morning. You know how I get sometimes. I think I'm gonna get in the bath and then head off to bed."

"Okay honey. I hope you feel better. Is there anything I can do?" She asks with genuine concern.

Laughing quietly I manage to respond "No... I'm good. You've done enough. Thanks."

Really, is it any wonder that I'm warped?
Bless her heart! Gotta love her!