I reminded her she was not around br when we were small, yet yesterday br before I’d even arrived to say goodbye br she’d already gone br br She never does it on purpose Mother says, br she’s popular but her orchestrated absence br proves the converse - going back all those br years nothing’s changed, br br What made me think she’d wait to say br goodbye? Was I foolish thinking she might br care enough to be at home, a sign br of real feeling, but she scorns family br br The message is she doesn’t give a damn, br my lecture on spurned children was br meant to make her play “caring mother” – br I was wrong, she could not be bothered br br Long-distance trips with friends is priority, br yet she complains grandchildren do not visit, br why should they when she so obviously br doesn’t care about them br br I do not wish my kids to feel unwanted by br her lack of feeling; yet the same woman br immorally rejected grandma Alice while br asking her to serve in all emergencies br br She brought dad inebriated to see Nici just br three weeks old, he insulted her and me, I was br ill with shock, mother claimed she did not know br he drank though Grandma Alice warned her well br br With “religious” friends support she claims she br plays a martyr’s role as her family rejects her br I wonder why WE are evil, starting with her own br mother, grandma Alice, dad and five children...