OOC: Holy shit I never realize how fast 500 words fill up.

As I drive through the streets of London, Ontario I couldn’t help but remember what it was like growing up here, what it was like to play street hockey on the roads stopping the game while we waited for each car to pass. I turn down the street lived on for most of my life and pull into the driveway of the 2nd house on the block. I have been to visit my mother since the whole pandemic. Walking up to the door and reach down to the doorbell, I press it twice and within a few minutes, I could hear stirring from inside the home. Reaching down to the mask that was sitting improperly on my chin I pull it up over my face. I know I don’t have corona as we get tested in the XWF but I rather not take any chances as my mother’s health hasn’t been the greatest and I wouldn’t want to chance it. The door flings open and standing before me was the woman that raised me, my mother. I could tell that she didn’t recognize me at first with the mask covering half my face.

William?

My voice is a little muffed from the mask but she was able to make out what I said clearly enough.

Hi Mom

She grabs me and pulls me into her chest and just hugs me. I know we shouldn’t be hugging and trying to practice social distancing but it just felt so perfect, before I could stop myself, and just embrace the hug. We hug for what seems like hours but truthfully was only no more than a few minutes. We break apart and she wipes a tear away from her face.

What are you doing here?

What a son can’t want to see his mother?

I am just surprised to see you.

If I wanted you to know I was coming I would have called and told you.

Can I get you a drink or something to eat?

That’s my mother always thinking that I need to eat more, even as a kid I never went hungry, and with her being a single parent I have no clue how she managed it. We walk down the hall to the living room you could see the wall was covered in photos of me as a kid. The was one where I was no older than 12-13, taken just before hockey practice so I was dressed in full uniform. As any Canadian kid hockey was in my blood and I actually thought about playing professionally, but the wrestling bug took root and I went down a different path. I walk into the living room at sit down on a chair across from the couch that my mother was sitting at. Now that we were more than 2 feet apart, I slide the mask off, and look up at my mom and just smile, I never realized how much I missed her until this moment.

I love you