A Childs Promis

Expository Writing

August 27, 2002

A Childs Promise

This Friday night seemed just like any other with Mom and I lounging on the sofa watching the Grand Ole Opry. I could feel the joy that the Opry brought to my mom just by the look in her eyes as she watched, listened, and sometimes sang. Well she hummed more than she sang but that was my mom's way of singing. As we watched her eyes would glow. Sometimes I would see a sparkle. As I watched her I knew what I had to do. I hugged my mom and said "Mother, when I'm all grown up I'm going to take you there". Mom hugged me in return and said, "I'm sure that you will".

As I started dinner, I turned the radio on and to my surprise the station was doing a special on The Grand Ole Opry. This brought my childhood memories roaring back. The Grand Ole Opry played on the radio in the kitchen every evening as Mom cooked dinner. She would hum and I would ask her to dance (as I had seen my father do). She would accept, especially if it were a slow song. Mom said that when it came to fast dancing she was afraid that she would break something and that with nine children she needed every thing she had to keep up with us. We would dance and at the end I would bow and say "thank you madam", she would courtesy and off I would go. Then I remembered the promise that I had made to her so many years before. I had a plan.

The following morning at work I put in for a week of vacation. Next came the wait for the approval. One day turned into the next, the next into the following. I could wait no longer. I went into my supervisors' office and said "well am I approved or not"? Signing the final signature as I walked in. She knew the excitement and anticipation that I had been feeling. She just looked up at me and smiled. That was all I needed. I called the Opryland Hotel made the reservations. I called the airlines, booked three flights. Everything having to be prepaid of course. I called my daughter to let her know that everything was a go. She in turn, after speaking with the doctors was unsure rather they would allow her to go. You see she was eight months pregnant with my granddaughter. She called the doctors again and they told her that they would advise against it. We talked and she stated to me "I can have this baby in Nashville just as easily as I can here". So I called Mom. She had plans. I really wanted this to be a surprise. I asked her if she could change her plans. She didn't think that she could but she would check. Waiting on that phone call was the longest of my life, although it only lasted for an hour. Mom called back. She said that she could change plans, but it would really mess up everyone's schedule. She asked, "How important is week"? I thought at that point I was going to have an annurisium or something. I said, "It's pretty important". Mom never wanting to change plans that one child had made before another said "Well can't we visit some other week"? I stated to her "Mom the Grand Ole Opry won't wait".

After we boarded the plane I watched as Mom adjusted her seat belt. Watched as Brandy wrestled with hers trying to make it fit, with Mom of course telling her how. All I could think was how much I loved all three. Taking a moment to thank God for blessing my life with the pleasure of them and of course to invite him to tag along. Then we were on our way. The flight was without problems. Unless you count Mom's changing Brandy's drink order from a Dr. Pepper to a Sprite. Brandy of course having a craving and Mom insisting that