unsolicited advice

I’m standing in Agata waiting to buy some ground coffee.  Next to me is a mother and her mid-20’s son.  The son can’t find the strong coffee he likes, so the mother suggests he go to Fairway and see if they have it.   The son turns on the mother and in a loud, angry voice shouts, “Will you please stop telling me what to do?!”  You are such a nag.”  Honestly, you’d think the mother had just said, “You don’t need coffee.  You need to lose weight.  Look at you.  You are heavy and sloppy and rude.”  (I'm thinking all these things).

The mother in me takes over.  I turn and say, “You know you shouldn’t talk to your mom like that.  You should always show her respect.  I’m a mom; I know. “  And then to add some levity I add, “And besides, mothers are always right and sons should always listen.”

The mother turns to the son and says, “See.”  The son sheepishly smiles.  And I can telepathically feel my son's rolling eyes from 230 miles away.