@ Eddie's

As I sat there gobbling up my bowl of soup, tears were waging a war to run down my cheeks any moment... and right there somewhere in the background was playing in Elvis' smooth voice 'Are u lonesome tonight?'.. Ha! Eddie couldnt have a chosen anything better for tonight.... Just then my cell started buzzing... long time no see! 'Mom' calling.. There have been years when I have just picked the call and gone 'yeah mom, no mom , ok mom, me too, byyyye'. But today was different. Even thru a gazzilion micro-telephonic-thingies I could feel my mother's warmth, just like those times when I would come back from school crying about something and she'd hold me and ruffle up my hair and hand me over a cookie...

'Hi mom!!'
Mom - ' Are you having soup at Eddie's again?'
'yeah mom, i got late after work... so I decided to.. '
Mom - 'uh huh dont give me that I decided to skip dinner story again'

Mom still thinks I am 5 and I would probably choke on my soup or miss my nutrition for the day. For her I hadnt grown a day older. But I have..

Mom - ' So what was you text all about?'
'Nothing mom, I plan to come home...'
Mom - 'Great!! for the weekend? Uncle Carl is coming over too!'
'mom.. mom!! Its not for the weekend'
Mom - 'Well its friday already.... what is it then?for a week?'
'No Mom... like forever...'
Mom - 'EVER? Now whats wrong Junior?'

How could I answer that? How could sum it all up in just one statement? How do I gather to courage to tell my mom what I had just lost..

'I will tell you when i see you at home mom... I Love you..'
Mom - 'Love you too son... you sleep tight.'

As I hung up on mom I glanced through the bright red menu sitting on my table

'@ Eddie's .. We got all that you want'

Really? I smiled to myself... and right then Eddie walked over... 'The last order for the day son' he said... and I said...

'A whole bunch of friends to last forever'.