I had just gotten off the phone with my mother. As had been the case, with seeming regularity, she didn't quite sound like her old self. She was aloof, indifferent, yet at times, whimsical. It was just odd enough that I called Willard Peterman, Mom's next-door neighbor, who had promised to keep an eye on her when I moved out. "She's okay for the most part," he told me. "I see her every day, whether she's getting her mail or watering her roses, but yeah, she does seem to be going off on these tangents of late. She talks herself in circles and forgets the point she was trying to make. I really don't know if it's anything to be worried about, Josh, but it may be early onset of Alzheimer's for all we know." I thanked him for his input. He promised to keep a close eye on her.
Just two days later and Mr. Peterman was calling me. "It's terrible, Josh. Just terrible."
"What, Mr. Peterman? Is it my mother? Is she okay?"
"I found her in her yard at three-thirty this morning walking around in her panties only, Josh. She had been calling out for a cat. You know, like, 'Here, kitty-kitty-kitty?' That sort of thing."
"But she doesn't even own a cat," I said. "Or does she? It has been a couple of months since I was last there, and she certainly hasn't mentioned one to me when we speak over the phone."
"I have not seen a cat over there either," he told me, "and when I questioned her concerning her activities, she immediately accused me of leading her outside her house in her current state of dress so that I could take advantage of her. If Lavern hadn't seen it with her own eyes, well, I don't know what would have happened."
"I'll give her a call, Mr. Peterman. Thank you for advising me of this." I killed the connection, then called my mother. "Hi, Mom. It's Josh."
"Oh, Josh. How are you?"
"I'm okay, Mom. How are you doing?"
"Okay for the most part," she answered, "although I think that man next door has taken a liking to me. You know, the short, bald one?"
"Mr. Peterman?" I asked. "Mom, he's been happily married for thirty years."
"Maybe they want a threesome with me, Josh. I'm flattered at the notion. Do you think I should do it? I've never been with a woman before."
I laughed. "No, Mom. They don't want a threesome with you. They are your friends and they care about your well-being. Tell me, do you have a cat?"
"Heaven's no. I can't stand cats. You know that."
"Are you sleeping okay, Mom?"
"I've had a touch of insomnia, but nothing to worry over. Why?"
"I just want to make sure you're okay, is all. Do you need anything?"
"Tell your sister that I miss her, and I want her to call me first chance she gets."
"Mom, you knowβ" My sister Penny had been dead going on ten years now. Was this it, then? Was this the Alzheimer's that Mr. Peterman spoke of? "I'll see what I can do, Mom."
"Thank you, Josh. I love you. Bye." Then she hung up.
I called Mr. Peterman back. "That Alzheimer's you were warning me about? She brought up my sister and spoke of her as if she were alive. I think you might be right."
"I will keep a closer eye on her for you, Josh. Perhaps she and Lavern can interact more on a daily basis."
I thanked him and ended the call, then got back to work. I owned a small-engine repair shop, and business was booming.
I called Mom every day and Mr. Peterman every two to three days over the next three weeks. Then one day I called, and no answer. I tried several times that day, twelve? Fifteen? I finally called Mr. Peterman and had him go over and check. "Well, her car is out of the garage, Josh. There is no telling where she could be."
I continued to call for another two hours, then I received a call from Mr. Peterman. "Josh, I regret to inform you that Lavern and I are at the police station in Boca Raton with your mother. She had been pulled over for driving on the wrong side of the road, and when the officer approached, he found her naked. Ours was the only number she remembered, so she called us. They are allowing us to remain here, but she must undergo a psyche eval before being released."
I looked at the clock, then sighed heavily before saying," "It's an eight-hour trip, Mr. Peterman. I can be there by five, give or take."
"No, let us handle this. I will call you when the results from the evaluation come in."
"Well, thank you for that," I said, "and thank you for being such a good friend."
"This is what friends do," he replied, then he ended the call. The following morning at ten-thirty,
he called to tell me, "The psyche eval is concluded, Josh. It is as we feared: Early onset of Alzheimer's. What do you wish to do?"
"I suppose I'll go up and look into her insurance, see if it covers any assisted living," I told him.
"And if it doesn't?" he posed. "I know you and she are estranged, Josh, and I don't blame you for moving out like you did, but you may have to soon come to a choice of moving her back in or moving her to a home where her needs can be met."
"I understand. Look, I know you have already done so much for me, Mr. Peterman, but do you think you and your wife can watch her for the next three days? It's just that I'm looking at three riding mowers, two chain saws, and eight push mowers that I need to fix considering I don't know how much of my time will be spent down there once I arrive."
"I will ask Lavern to stay the night with her until you arrive," he answered.
This was Wednesday morning. I busted my ass to get all my work completed, and by noon Friday, I had. My bags were packed, and I was ready to go. I was just waiting on one final customer to pick up his merchandise, and that's when the call came in. "Josh, I'm so sorry, son. It happened so fast."
"Mrs. Peterman?"
"I stepped out for just a moment. I promise."
"Mrs. Peterman, what are you talking about? What happened?"
"Her house ... everything ... Gone, Josh. Burnt to cinders."
"What?" I exclaimed. "Is she okay?"
"Yes, yes. She is fine," she assured me. "Smoke inhalation is all. Willard was in close enough proximity that he saw the smoke. He found your mother before the blaze got too bad."
"Is he okay?"
"Same as your mother. Smoke inhalation," she answered.
"Any idea how it started?" I asked.
"Who knows until the fire marshal takes a look?" she answered. "Willard will be okay, and he and I will house your mother for the night, so don't you worry about her."
"I'm on my way, Mrs. Peterman. Thank you."