I didn't realize it growing up but Mama always needed an audience. It became more obvious once she was in a nursing home. She would sing a song or tell a joke at the drop of a hat as long as someone was listening, and she made sure someone always was...
Here's an excerpt from our book "Dementia-Mama-Drama" now on Amazon Books.
Ever since I can remember Mama was an actress. Well let's put it this way - she always gave me drama. From early on in life, her dream was to be an actress and a singer. The ironic thing is that
Mama was always an actress... she just didn't know it. And as far as singing, you couldn't shut her up once she started.
Her audience changed over the years. First it was just family and friends, but as time went on anyone that met her became her audience. In her later years her fans were the nursing home staff, the residents and of course the readers of our blog.
When people ask me if Mama was an actress, I gotta say yes. She was the one who taught me "never share a spotlight or a microphone". My mother the actress who was always ready for her close up and her audience.
One night as Douglass and I arrived at the nursing home we heard someone ranting rather loudly from down the hall, it was Mama! She was as I liked to call it “Anna-mated". Sometimes we knew what to expect when visiting and decided to play along joining the “Anna with a Z" show, after all she was the star.
Vin: What are you doing? Are you an actress?
Mama: Of course, I'm a CAREER actress!
Vin: You're a career actress? Since when?
Mama: Since I’ve been in this damn place. Ya gotta be an actress in here.
Vin: What do you mean by that?
Mama: Ya gotta be an actress here to get what you want, if you wanna get ANYTHING.
Vin: Why do you say that?
Mama: They'd ignore you otherwise, so I scream and carry on. I’m a diva, damn it, I give drama! They should give me an award for the best actress.
I couldn't have said it better myself. "And the Oscar goes to ..."
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