Day 1151 Dinner Dates

 

Mariner Grille Again for Dinner… Why Not!?

My mom wanted to get together for lunch this week, but with my crazy schedule, the timing just didn’t work. So I offered a dinner date instead. She misses dining out at night—a downfall of living a long life. All her dining companions have passed away, leaving her with daytime bridge club and book club lunches… but no great fine dining experiences in the evening.

We sat enjoying our steak, wine, and conversation when, all of a sudden, she looked at me with fear in her eyes and grabbed her throat. I asked if she was okay, and when she silently shook her head, I knew she was in trouble. I sprang out of my seat, reaching for her back as quickly as I could, though the distance between us felt impossibly far in that moment.

By the time I got into position, a woman appeared beside me and asked if we needed help. I had just delivered one hard whack between my mom’s shoulders—and thankfully, it was enough to dislodge whatever was stuck. She caught her breath and softly said she was okay. Within minutes, her voice regained strength as she sipped some water.

I thanked the woman and ended up chatting with her and her two friends—who, it turns out, were all nurses! How lucky were we? If we had needed more help, we were surrounded by a table full of medical professionals. The universe really does seem to place us exactly where we need to be, even when we’re going about our lives completely unaware of the bigger plan.

After the excitement, we settled back in and decided to splurge on a delicious dessert....after all that it seemed reasonable to celebrate a bit.  I doubt choking will be my mom’s demise, my guess is she’s got at least another ten years of life left in her, with dinners out, trips to plan, and gardens to weed.

I sure hope I inherited her genes… although I may need to start gathering a few younger friends now, so I’ll still have dinner dates as I grow old.

Because really, what’s life without good food, great company, and the occasional unexpected reminder of how precious every moment truly is?
Until the next dinner date…