It wasn't an easy relationship
My mother-in-law and I
I made a bad first impression
And never tried too hard to change it
And with that we settled into our roles
She difficult and judgemental
I insolent and insufferable
And both of us cordial
For the sake of everyone else
Long enough play acting and a reality develops
And although I was always dirty and poor
I was reliable
I showed up when chores needed doing
And did the job right
Ran errands
Helped at parties
Took out the trash
Made cute grandkids
And took care of her daughter
And in order to maintain
My established designation
She would often pay for my labors
The worst though was holidays
Subjected to various corny events
As part of her pet project
To ensure the grandkids wouldn't suffer
Because of our perceived poverty
From Zoo Lights to The Nutcracker
We attended
Graciously
Thankfully
Privately nitpicking
For our own morbid pleasure
Some clumsily contrived gaudiness
Or amateur production value
As simpering sappy slop abounded
And we begrudgingly joined in
She has passed now
Several years back
And we had been away for the holidays
For many years before that
And I find
In spite of myself
I actually miss it
Miss the sappy shows
Grow inexplicably nostalgic
For the manufactured happiness
Feel sorrow for my immaturity
And I long to be the bain
Of that crazy old bat's existence
Realizing
A little too late
She was trying
In her own kooky way
To make things just a little more special
To give joy in a way she felt she could
To say she loved us
That she didn't mind too much
That we were still hanging around
