My mother's been to visit me over the weekend. For two days we've been talking, riding rollercoasters, watching movies, talking some more, eating dinner out and talking even more. My mother is the Best, though we still get sick of each other a little after two days together. But that's just because she's a mum and I'm a daughter and the getting-annoyed-bits are just part of the deal. Now that she's left again I want her back here. It's a typical mum thing.
Mum turned something-ty this year, and her work colleagues got her a great gift - The Gold Pass for the amusement park of Liseberg here in Gothenburg (By the way, Gothenburg is actually called Göteborg in Swedish and is pronounced "Djeuttebawrdj"). Their reason for giving her such a gift was "You love rollercoasters and you get to see your daughter more". She's got the best colleagues. And I've got the best mum. Because her next words to me were: "If I have a Gold Pass, I'll still have to buy you tickets every time because that's what mums do. So it'll be the same thing to my wallet whether you or I have the pass, so here you go!"
Oh my God! I'm now the proud owner of a Gold Pass which means free entrance and free rides (!) all season! Thank you mum! Anyone up for a ride on the rollercoaster "Balder" with me?
Then Mum asked if we should be counting points while at the park as well. I didn't understand and she said she couldn't believe she hadn't shared her "points-for-people-system" with me yet - so she did. Now I'll count everybody!
The thing is: My mother isn't supersticious per say. I mean she doesn't throw salt around or knocks on wood all the time, but she has her little... let's call them "rituals for luck". For example: Any day when you see a Saab V4 is a good day (just because those cars are so cute. Imagine her joy when I owned one a couple of years back...). Furthermore the number 11 is extremely lucky (I was born in November). It's so lucky she could wait for many turns at the wheels of fortune to bet on number eleven... only to explain the fact that she still didn't win with bad luck... hm...
Anyway, this points-for-people thing works like this: You get points for people you meet in the street according to the chart below, and the more points, the luckier the day.
- recognizing a face and placing it = 1 point
- knowing their first name = 1 point
- knowing their last name = 1 point
- saying hello = 1 point
- stop for a chat = 1 point
Therefore - someone you know and stay to talk to awards you five points, while that guy who works in that store only gives you one measly point. If "that guy" recognizes you and says hello though, you get one more point. Should you remember later that his first name is Carl, you get yet another point. Celebrities are almost always three points - since you don't say hello and don't stop for a chat.
I have a strong feeling that this, like so many of my mother's "mind games", will stick and I'll catch myself thinking stuff like "If I get ten points before heading home today I'll buy me something pretty/ go to the dentist/ other appropriate reward"
Thank you mum. I'm now even more wonderfully nuts! I have more games like these, most of which I've inherited from my mum. There is the "I-can't-go-to-sleep-games" and the "I-spy-games". There was a game like this presented in a Swedish movie a couple of years ago. The movie was called Vuxna Människor (Adults), and the game was played while going on an escalator in the subway. You Had To Pick one going in the opposite direction with whom you'd like having sex the most. Problem was that if you didn't pick the somewhat cute one in the beginning you might be stuck with an old creepy one at the end...
Anyway, my favorite is the "coffeehouse guest short story" in which you pick a party of people at a nearby table and you make up a story about their lives, why they're there, what they're talking about etc. This is even funnier when you make up a story together with a friend, or a mum...
1 comment:
That's cool, homemade superstitions are the very best. :) I'm going to tell you one of mine - water is a vessel for light, or for darkness. Because of this, it is bad luck to drink water in the dark - consuming darkness weakens you a little. Water in the light is much better for you. Um... yeah. That's the one I tell people because it's kind of poetic... anyways. :)
It was great to talk to you again tonight. I'm glad you got to visit with your Mom. Don't you love being old enough to be friends with your Mom? My mother called me last week to ask for my advice on something. It made my week. :) Umm... blah blah blah. Time for bed. Good night (gutte nacht? gutnacht?)!
Love, Mandy
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