Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine May - Mother's Day Issue | Page 63

Angela Kay Austin
I am blessed to
be the daughter
of Clara. Blessed!
Once I called my mother to chat, and in the background
I heard rattling. Clanging. It disturbed our conversation,
so I asked, “Mom, what’s that noise.” She responded, “I’m
counting the change in my bank.” Now, let me interrupt to
explain. For as long as I can remember, my mother has had
a ceramic piggy bank and each year she loaded it with loose
change. During the holidays she would pull out all of her coin
and use it to purchase food for both
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
But, this wasn’t the holidays and she
was counting coins. Counting coins!
My mother had always been frugal.
And I guess I’m Clara Frugal II.
Instead of calling my brother or me to
ask for money, she counted coins. She
was always generous and could not
imagine ever infringing on anyone for
anything. Her grace and kindness are
traits I hope to one day possess myself.
I now own that piggy bank, and once
in a while I drop in a coin or two. One
day, I will buy a turkey or something
… maybe a chicken wing or two and
follow in her footsteps!