A Mother’s Comfort and a Moon Landing

For M. E. T.

I remember this one significant thing Mom did … so many times she did this. 

It didn’t matter if we were watching a boring Phillies game or if I was tired after playing in the snow or if I had a tough day in elementary math or when I defended my girlfriend against a bully (I kicked her ass and mom defended me against the bully’s mom) or even when I got my “monthly” very early and the school nurse was rude to me. 

Mom would take my head in her lap and softly rake her nails along the side of my head, through my hair. Typically, I’d fall asleep. Comforted. 

I fell asleep like this the night we were waiting for the Moon Landing. 

The Moon Landing was July 16, 1969, just before my 12^th birthday. I fell asleep with Mom raking my hair. 

I woke up to a shaking and “Wake up, wake up, men are walking on the moon!”