Son Took His Mom Out For Dinner. Days Later, He Gets Devastating News And A Receipt In The Mail
By
Jamie Vos in
Heartbreaking
On 22nd January 2016
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"After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie," he starts the post. The other woman? His mother, of course. The unnamed author admits that he was nervous before picking up his mother, as was she. But the two spent a nice evening together at a "very nice and cozy" restaurant, where they lingered over their meal and caught up on each other's lives. Their dinner conversation went on and on; they ended up missing the movie they planned to see. But that clearly wasn't an issue for either of them; what was more important was spending precious time together.
"I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you," the mom told her son as the date came to a close.Days after dinner, the author's mother passed away. She had suffered a heart attack. "It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her," he explained.
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In the days following his mother's death, the son received something unexpected in the mail. It was a prepaid receipt from the same restaurant where he and his mother had just eaten. Attached was a note from his late mother, who explained that she was treating her son and his wife to dinner there. "You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you," she closed the note.The touching story has been shared nearly 50,000 times and liked by over 70,000 people. The comments are filled with messages and anecdotes from readers, all of which share a common theme: Cherish the time spent with your parents, and don't forget to say "I love you."
"After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.'The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who had been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my 3 children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.'What's wrong, are you well?" she asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.'I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much.'That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an Angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into the car. 'They can't wait to hear about our meeting.'We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,' I responded.During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation — nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.'How was your dinner date?' Asked my wife when I got home.'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place where mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless I paid for two plates — one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me.''I love you, son.'At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: 'I love you,' and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till 'some other time.' "Author unknown
