Hommel Mangas
1. I’m sorry I almost missed our 9 a.m. wedding nearly 34 years ago. You promised to call me in the morning to wake me up, but unfortunately, I forgot to hang up the corded kitchen phone after talking to you from another room the previous night.
I remember, my two youngest brothers stayed the night, and we had fun laughing and talking pretty late into the evening. The good news was that I’m pretty low maintenance and got ready in a quick minute and sped to church.
2. I’m sorry about the numerous times I swatted or patted you awake from a deep sleep because I was having a bad dream. I’m glad you understood the few times I sat up I bed and growled with a vengeance, “Get out of here” — it wasn’t directed toward you but to the bad guys in my dream.
3. I’m sorry that I have had no deep desire in three decades to improve my cooking skills and that you understand that it’s a chore and not a gift of mine. But I do appreciate when you rave about my meatloaf and chili and that you are our family’s true chef. Thanks for bragging to others that I can write, design a garden or soothe any crying baby in a mile radius — usually not at the same time.
4. I’m sorry for getting on you for buying our daughters that surprise ginormous Barbie Dream Boat for Christmas when they were little. I’m sure we hadn’t yet discussed playing with baby dolls versus avoiding buying Barbie dolls. Thanks for steering that yacht back to the barn and building them that huge LEGO table the following year.
5. I’m sorry that I put a nice-size hole in the first truck you ever owned. In my defense, the Dixie Chopper wheels were bald with age and the grass was wet on the hillside and you did actually park on the bottom of the grassy hill — but I digress and apologize.
6. I’m sorry for not always appreciating your decades of lunch-time calls — I do miss your voice and how you show your love by this simple act. I am reminded of how the girls’ faces lit up when they were toddlers and you called briefly at lunch. Grandson John’s face now lights up with his four-tooth smile when he hears your voice. As do I.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
