file under C (lyn)

My mother has an interesting way of remembering things.  Her mind, while very organized, follows a pattern that is unique to her.  When she’s interested, she has a near-photographic memory.  And when she’s not, well, she’s not.

Take cards for example.  I play gin once a year; when I come to the Cape.  My mother is the world’s best card player.  She remembers every card played, as well as every card not yet played.  She always wins.  But she’s so much fun to play with, that I never mind losing to her.  We sit down with a bowl of grapes and begin our first game.  She kills me-200 to 20.

Our next game, which we start and don’t finish, begins again, poorly for me.  When I’m 69 and she’s 120, my mom decides to quit and make some calls.  “I need to reach the Window Washer before he leaves for the day.”

She takes out her address book and begins looking for the Window Washer, whose name she doesn’t know.  At the back of the book, she keeps a miscellaneous list of service people, thinking she’ll find the Window Washer listed there.  It’s a reasonable guess since this list includes:

·    the electrician

·    the plumber

·    the rug cleaner

·    Louis leaves (which I assume is the person who rakes leaves)

·    snowplow person

But the Window Washer is not listed here.  So then she tries under W.  No, he’s not there either.  Then, she tries under “C.”  Of course, who wouldn’t?  And there he is.  The Window Washer.  Filed under C for Cleans Windows.