Shirley was such a good sales lady that she won quite a few contests. The company gave my mother a full length mink coat.
Now remember, New Orleans is very hot most of the time. Once in a while she would take the coat out and look at herself in the mirror.
She always told Lenny and I that we would be successful. Sometimes when she put on her lipstick she would say to me, “I don’t need a mirror. Let me just look into your eyes.”
When I got my own show, I flew her out to be a guest a few times. Everyone just loved her. When she came out to LA to see my house, I put her in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She asked why there were so many rooms in the bungalow. And I told her she was my queen.
I loved taking Shirley shopping. One time she saw this Judith Leiber purse and asked me how much it was. I told her $50.00. Sadly, the sales lady left the price of the purse in her bag. She found out that the purse was $2000.00….I had to return it. From that day on, I had to show her the prices on whatever I bought.
Then, the phone rang. It was from Citibank asking me to be in their commercial. They asked for my mother to be in it with me. It was so successful it ran for 2 years. Shirley got a check in the mail.She called me and said, “What is this for?” I said,”For the commercial.” She asked me what she should do with it. I told her to spend it.
My mother also loved large rings to put on her tiny hand. She had an array of diamonds and sapphires. I also liked shopping for Shirley’s clothes. We found these cute leather suits. I bought them for her… but she couldn’t ask me how much they were.
Every Wednesday, a limo pulled up to Shirley’s house. He took her to two grocery stores and to the hairdresser to have her hair and nails done. It was extravagant…but she was worth it.
When I traveled, I called Shirley 3 to 4 times a day to ask her how she was. She would say, “Is my mind playing tricks on me or did you just call me an hour ago?”
When she was slowing down, I hired 4 ladies to be with her every six hours. I would go to New Orleans every month to be with her. I would lay in bed with her and I kissed her ever so softly.
She said, “I think it is time for you to say goodbye to me.” I said I wasn’t leaving. She told me to get on a plane…and I went back to LA. When I got home the phone rang and it was Lenny. I didn’t want to hear what he said to me. “Mom’s gone to heaven.” I collapsed in the kitchen.
I hope you have a good relationship with your mom…..M is for the many things she gave me. Shirley lived 87 years on this earth. She will always live in my heart.
Love,
Richard
