Chapter 13; Part 2 - Going Back Home

About two weeks before Mom and Dad leave Florida, they start doing their ‘one last time’ routine – they have to go shopping at such and such store ‘one last time.’ They want to eat at their three favorite restaurants ‘one last time.’ They need to see their five closest friends ‘one last time.’

“Hon, I want to go to Coral Sands Mall one last time before we go home,” Mom says. “There are a couple of stores that I want to shop at that we don’t have back home.”

“Fine,” Dad replies. “One last time is all I can take of that place.”

“We have a lot of evening plans this week and next,” Mom informs Dad. “We’re getting together with Sylvia and her new boyfriend on Monday night, Minnie and Hymie on Wednesday night, and Phyllis and Herb on Thursday night.”

“Boy, that’s a lot of going out for one week.” Dad replies.

“Well, we’re going to be staying in on Saturday night,” Mom tells him. “I invited Herb and Phyllis and Stan and Susan over for coffee and cake. Oh, yeah, and on Sunday evening Flo and Irv invited us over.”

“Flo and Irv? But we don’t need to go out with them one last time. We’ll see them back home in Pennsylvania.”

“Flo said she wanted to see us one more time in Florida. For some reason it’s just not the same when we go out with them back home.”

“I hope we are at least going to some restaurants that I like,” Dad says.

“Oh yeah, your favorites – Finnochio’s on Monday, Wu’s on Wednesday, and Bubbe’s on Thursday.”

Chapter 13; Part 1 - Going Back Home

As February turns to March, the talk around Harbor View starts to change to the topic of going back home.

“When are you leaving for New York, Phyllis?” Mom asks.

“We’re leaving early this year – March 24. I really don’t want to, but we have a wedding near Boston in late March. How about you?”

“I think we’re going to leave in the beginning of April.”

“I hope you have your reservations for the train. They get really swamped in April.”

“Oh, no; we drive,” Mom replies.