Mom's Fur Coat

Dad and mom belonged to a lodge called the Knights of Pythias. Dad was a Knight and mom was a Pythian Sister.

They attended frequent Lodge meetings. They also went to dinner dances and, quite often, mom bought a new dress.

The holiday gala was the main event of the year, and dad surprised mom with a fur coat for the special occasion. We were so proud of dad’s generosity and even happier for mom. The coat was lovely and we all gathered around mom telling her how pretty she looked. The next day, she told us all about the evening and what a great time they had, and gave us each one of the favors.

Wintertime was fast approaching, and we three girls were huddled together in our bed in the living room where a tarpaulin served as the east side of the house during dad’s do-it-yourself-remodel. We had plenty of blankets on top of us, but that still didn’t keep out the winter cold.

Along came mom, saving the day, as usual. She laid her fur coat atop the blankets and off to dreamland we went. I should say off the dreamland “they” went, as Phyllis would grind her teeth and Donna would pee the bed and I would struggle to fall asleep until the sandman was at last successful.

Dad came home from his semi-truckin’ in the middle of the night. He checked on us and how the tarpaulin was doing. Seeing the fur coat must have given him a “case of the vapors,” but that wasn’t the last time mom covered her girls with her fine fur coat. As a matter of fact, over time, strips of fur began to disappear until it was torn and tattered.

Years later, our hearts would be torn and tattered when she had to leave us.

Sharon Smith is a member of the writing class at Norwalk Senior Center.