Dinner at Wendy's

In the last few years, we had a custom of going to dinner or lunch with Papa and Mama once a week. One Saturday late in February of 2006, we decided to try to go to a far-away Chinese buffet right after afternoon mass. I had figured that the mass would let us out in time to beat the Saturday night crowd. Unfortunately, the drive across Naperville and Lisle to Woodridge took longer than I had expected and when we arrived at the buffet there already was a very long line. We tried another restaurant and then a third, but they all had long lines (in fact, in retrospect, if we had waited in line at the first, we would have gotten in).

I knew Mama was disappointed to have missed out on the fine food, but she didn't show it. Instead, as we wound up at a Wendy's (nearly deserted inside), she ordered a chili and a salad and laughed and joked with us. She made the best of the situation and we all had fun because of her.

As I helped Mama to the door when dropping off her and Papa (there was ice and snow on the driveway), she gave me a fierce hug and told me not to worry so much and to take care of myself.

That was the last time I saw her before her death.