A Letter From a Mother to Her Daughter

A Letter From My Mother--Page 9
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Note: As I was organizing a box of memorabilia, I ran across a letter from my mother, postmarked January 13, 1979, four months before she died in her sleep due to acute alcoholism. I believe it is one of the last letters she ever wrote, certainly her last letter to me.

She was 48, younger than I am now, an alcoholic for most of her adult life--certainly most, if not all, of my life.

I was 28, juggling single parenthood, full-time college studies, and a part time job.

I have posted, without editing (other than replacing names with initials) or editorial, this letter, minus specific identifying information.

This decision to publish has not not come lightly--I have no wish to "beat up" up on my late mother--but if one person reads this and decides to stop drinking and get help, then it will have been worth it. In a weird sort of way, my mother, in a sober state, would have likely agreed...

Please note that I'm not anti-drinking--many people are able to drink responsibly--but some people just can't handle alcohol, and Mom was one of them.

Period.

"A Letter from a Mother to Her Daughter"

has been moved to Why I Write 

The Mermaid Dress

A short story by Jennifer Semple Siegel
Mother, in a good mood, allowed me to sit with her at the vanity as she got ready for work. Our hips touched slightly, her warmth running through me.

She was working on her face and hair when Winky Dink, my favorite TV show, came on.

I wiggled in the seat.

I wanted to draw pictures on the Magic Screen. Winky Dink needed me to hide him from the bad guys, even if my lines wobbled.

I wished Mother would hurry up and pick her wig for the night. On either side of the vanity were two plastic heads with no faces, each displaying a platinum wig, one short and curly, the other shoulder length and curled under in a pageboy. Mother ignored both of them and, instead, took a plastic box with the ponytail, my favorite, out of the middle drawer.

She looked down and smiled at me...

This story has been moved to The Fat Lady Sings.

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"The Mermaid Dress" was originally published in Are You EVER Going to be Thin? (and other stories), 2004. 35-53.

Copyright 2004, Jennifer Semple Siegel.

May not be reposted or reprinted without permission from author.