Dear Mother,

Remember that time when you drove to church at Monterey Church of Christ and came out after services and were visiting with Trudy Welch by your car? She said, "Inez, is that your car running?" You realized with horror that it was indeed your car and when you told Daddy and me, Daddy asked, "Inez, how in the world could you do something so silly? Didn't you hear the car when you were walking away?"  I laughed and you started crying because you were so mortified at yourself. You declared immediately, "I guess I don't even need to be driving myself to church if I'm so senile!" And you never did again drive yourself to church or anywhere. You quit driving on the spot.

Well, you were in your late 60's when you did that and I thought to myself, "Poor thing! She probably really shouldn't be driving if she can't remember to turn the car off!"  I am 50 years old and, I hate to confess this to you, but....today when I went to Walmart with Brittany I did the same dang thing! We were laughing and talking as we got out of the car and as I walked away I did push the key on the button of my remote to lock the car, but it wouldn't honk at me as usual. I thought that was weird, but kept right on into the store. We shopped, checked out, and went to put our groceries in the car. It was locked. Thank God! As Brittany was finishing putting her groceries in the trunk, I heard a car quietly running. I thought, "Someone left their car running!" and I tried to figure out which car it was. Then I got in my car and still heard a car running. Then I realized it was MY car!!!  I left my little green Ford Fiesta running a whole hour while we were shopping!  The horror and mortification doesn't bear describing. How could I be so dumb, so senile, so something? I had to laugh or I would have cried. Brittany laughed and I swore her to secrecy. I said, "Alan musn't know about this so don't tell him!" In my defense, our car does run so quietly you can barely hear it even inside the car. And...it doesn't even have a key to start the ignition. If you have this little fancy dancy keyfob with you, all you have to do is push a start button to start it and then push the button again to turn it off. That car has bells and whistles for everything except for leaving your car running. I think it should have a loud horn that honks if you leave your car running and walk 10 feet away from it so you can turn the blooming thing off!  Or maybe a loud voice that yells at you, "Hey stupid! You left your car running! Come and turn it off!"

Anyhow, as we were driving home, I could hear you laughing at me all the way from heaven and the distinct words, "Ha! It's not such a picnic getting old and doing stupid, senile stuff is it?"  No, Mother, it isn't. I apologize for laughing that day. At least you were in your late 60's. I love you. I miss you. I could really use one of your hugs right now.

Your senile daughter, Elaine

P.S. Maybe this is where I should keep the car too, except for when Alan drives!