Extra Bowls and Cups

I went home to help my parents to move last week. I was seriously surprise at how many bowls and cups that mom had collected over the years. As I was packing at the old house and unpacking at the new house, I counted that we have got 10 brand new porcelain bowls, of fine china quality, all nicely wrapped. Then there is this big box full of mugs and glasses and flutes. There are these sets of pots and pans, all brand new, untouched. In addition, there are loads that we are currently using daily.

I decided to do something about the bowls and cups.

“Mom, there are only two of you here now and there are all these brand new bowls and glasses and what not, are you keeping them just in case we can use them when the Queen come visiting? Why don’t we give those away?”

“No way!” Mom protested.

“Why not? You certainly can’t use all of them. They just take up space and you will need time and effort cleaning them now and again.”

“I bought these bowls for your sister for her adoption ceremony. Those glasses are free gifts. Keep them, I’ll use them one day.” She insisted.

“Why don’t we get rid of those we are using now and use these brand new one instead?”

“No!” She replied, with a heavy underlying end-of-discussion tone.

“C’mon mom. I just don’t understand, why keep them if you are not using them.”

Mom just gave me her trademark sharp piercing look.

I know that any sound I make there after would lead to an argument equal the intensity and damage of the deadliest hurricane. But I was pissed off, I was fuming! What's the point of keeping these extras? No need, why keep? It was driving me nuts! The fact that these collections, not just bowls and cups, been steadily increasing at an alarming rate and turning the house into a huge thrift store does not bother her the least bit. It was not even funny anymore.

I gave mom my trademark whatever look.

So these extras continue to find permanent residence in the house.

Mom has always got a reason to keep all these extras. Her standard first line of defense: She’ll use them one day. When I press on, she says there are for my wedding! Good Lord I haven’t even got a girl friend yet! As I keep pushing on, she would say that it cost money to buy new ones and go on lecturing me that I could be a bit more cautious in my spending. She would also say that it’s her house and she lives there, not us. Her house, her rules! But her ultimate reason: “Those came with when I marry your dad.” Sentimental value, what can I say?

I know why mom does what she does and for whom. She knows one day we the kids would start our family and she would then give all these extra to us. She knows how tough and how expensive to start a family hence every penny counts, hence her every penny stretches, still, even now that we are all somewhat financially independent. She would say that we are not rich people, even if we are, we can be poor in no time if we are not wise and cautious in spending.

Suddenly the rage that consumed me turned into guilt. Damn! Don’t you just hate it when your parent is right? I just hope that she did not catch my whatever look.