22 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
PHOTOSCOURTESY^ KARENMALENAher joy, I thought. When I told her
about the performance, Mom was
eager to go.
6U[OLKHVM[OLT\ZPJHS»ZÄUHS show, Mom looked beautiful in the gray slacks and teal sweater I’d helped her pick out. We found seats that had a great view of the stage. I could almost believe things were back the way they used to be be- fore Mom got sick. I worked hard to keep Mom focused with conver- sation while we were waiting for the lights to go down. “We’re going to see Beauty and the Beast,” I reminded her. “We’ve watched it together a million times.” The lights dimmed. The audience quieted. The curtain rose. That’s when the trouble started. “What is this?” Mom asked, as if we were sitting at home and not sur- rounded by an audience trying to hear a performance. “We’re seeing a musical, Mom,” I whispered quickly. “Beauty and the Beast. You love this story.” Mom and I had seen a few shows together. She was the one who’d schooled me on theater etiquette— how important it was to keep quiet, to think of the other people in the audience and the actors. “Once upon a time, in a faraway land...” the narrator began. I glanced over at Mom. She was listening closely. Then the Beast appeared. “Is this Cats?” She asked it so loudly, I jumped in my seat. “No, Mom,” I said, flustered. “I want to see Cats!” /LHKZ[\YULK0MLS[TZLSMÅ\ZOPUN
with embarrassment. I’d planned the
whole night around our favorite
show, Beauty and the Beast. I never
dreamed she would now be de-
manding to see Cats!
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singing starts. Surely dementia
couldn’t take her love of the music
away from her....
The music began, and the actors
on stage sang. Then, beside me,
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SV\KHUKVќRL`4VT^HZQVPUPUNPU
“Mom, let’s just listen,” I whispered.
Mom wasn’t having it. She belted
out the tunes as if everyone were
there to hear her. I stared straight
ahead, trying not to picture the an-
gry looks directed our way. I must’ve
been crazy to bring Mom here! I
should have just popped in a DVD
at home. I reached for my purse
and hoped that Mom wouldn’t make
a commotion when I told her we
were going home.Karen’s mom meets the actress who
played Belle.