5-minute Freewrite: Prompt- Back Pain

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"Let's go to the playground!" said Mama. Tho' I was little, I could see it in her eyes, that I-am-exhausted-but-it's-okay look I have come to appreciate, it was the look that I would search for whenever came playtime. I had a happy childhood. We weren't well to do but we had enough. Mama made sure of that. Some days she'd save up all she could just to get us our favorite food, or rent a video tape of the recent cartoon that was already taken down from the cinema. To us, that was luxury.

When Mama got married to Papa, she got promoted to be the Home Affairs Minister. Since then, she devoted her heart and soul to grow our little family.

Mama married young, yet she did not regret her decision. We would hear stories of her being the top student in her course during her college years, she even received a job offer from the college Dean to teach upon graduation. A teaching position, no interview required. She was that good. Alas, war and chaos at her hometown made it next to impossible. Grandpa said they had to flee.

Mama loved our back rubs. She still does. I remember climbing up the sofa and hugging her neck from behind while she folded piles upon piles of laundry and she'd try to shoo me away because it'd trigger her back pain.

"Mama, does your back hurt?"

"Mm-hmm."

And I'd know what to do.

"Which part, Mama? Is it here?" while randomly pressing her back.

"... Yes. Right there."

And she'd close her eyes and let out a faint smile. All while I rub her back with my little hands.

Some days, if I'm lucky I'd sit quietly at the edge of the sofa folding our pile of laundry and I'd get to enjoy that same treatment, too.

"Mama, what (are) you doing?"

"Folding the clothes, baby..."

"Oh, okay!" her little arms wrapped around my neck.

"Baby, Mama's back hurts... Would you please get off the sofa?"

"Oh, sorry Mama, is it here?" touching my back with her little hands, and her face full of sympathy.

Those words. They sound like home.

I'm glad I could still pick up the phone.

"Hello, Ma?"

"Hi, baby..."

art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics