Mama’s Always on Stage

Mama’s Always on Stage

Walking along Schwedenplatz one sunny afternoon, I overheard a delicious exchange. Two mothers were strolling with their respective daughters, one about eight years old and the other around twelve. While the women chatted, the younger daughter asked the elder, "Is your mom also totally embarrassing?"

"Totally! Mom is always trying to be cool and modern and it’s just so embarrassing." She begins to project her dismay at a volume where even the hobos in front of Billa heard every word. "I mean, yesterday I was talking to my friends and she was like, ‘O-M-G’. I mean, it was so embarassing."

Now the girls resorted to a satge whisper: "You know, most of the time, they just copy us, no mothers think of stuff like that." The eight-year-old was nodding in approval.

The elder girl cupped her hand around her mounth, "You know, she probably doesn’t even know what it means."

Her mother, smiling, interjected, "Sure I do. It means Oh My God." The moms giggled.

The 12-year-old is now sotto-voce, "See what I mean, she’s sooo embarrassing." The younger ladies sidle off about three metres and continue their tales of maternal shame without pesky parents to mortify them.

- Eva Schüller