Scaring Mom has potential to backfire

Mother's Day is tomorrow. I'll catch up with mom and see how she's doing. I'll tell her she's "The Greatest Mom Ever" and how much I love her.

I wish I knew more about my mom. What I mean is I know a lot about my mother, but the time before her high school years is a mystery to me.

I do know my mom could roller-skate and this is how I found out.

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I was running around the house and getting into mischief. I was about 8 years old and didn't have to go to school, so it was probably a Saturday morning.

I heard a noise in the bathroom. Someone was brushing their teeth. I decided to sneak up and scare whoever was in there.

So down the hall I crept, being careful to not make a sound. I rounded the corner and there was my mom brushing her teeth.

I smiled thinking about giving her a poke on the back and yelling "BOO!"

So I did just that.

But instead of freaking out or anything, my mom turned around and went, "GRRRRRR."

She was missing her two front teeth.

"AIEEEEEE!" I screamed like a little girl, turned around and ran down the hall.

I heard chuckling from the bathroom.

I snuck back.

"Mom?" I asked. "Is that you?"

"Of course it is," she said.

"What happened to your teeth?" I had been on Planet Earth eight years and had no idea my mom was missing her two front teeth.

"When I was in high school I went to the roller rink for a skating party," she said. "I fell down and before I could get up a boy came around, he couldn't stop, his skate hit me in the mouth and knocked out my teeth."

I told her that remembrance over the phone recently.

She laughed and laughed.

Grant McGee is a long-time broadcaster and former truck driver who rides bicycles and likes to talk about his many adventures on the road of life. Contact him at:

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