My unlikely BFF

There are certain things you just don’t tell your mother opting instead to inquire about her work day or grandma’s chicken broth recipe. You gloss over the explicit details of reality and give mummy a pleasant, counterfeit version of you. This is not me and my mum (my mum and I?). I will come home late from a long emotionally exhausting day and will even wake her up from her sleep if i have to, to talk and confide in. I know it's weird but I'm lucky. Our relationship is due in part to my irrepressible honesty, transparent emotions, childish dependancy, and unashamed announcements. I’ve had a hard time concealing anything from my mother since the year 2000. But I also blame her open, accepting (of my childishness), annoying-"tell-me-what's-wrong", and shocking-"she-is-not-your-friend" temperament.

My mum just is the cool (calm, and collected) mum, but doesn’t have to say it or wear pink sweatsuits to prove it. She's reserved and nowhere like Mean Girls' Regina George's mum or that Asian mother in Hot Chicks ("Ling Ling! You forgot your bling bling!") She's not shallow, nor is she into shopping for clothes and pretty china plates. Not that that's superficial or anything. And I realize this makes me insanely lucky. Her coolness compels me to want to hang out with her, and it’s sometimes hard to explain to friends that you’d rather watch a drama series with mum at home than... be at a lot of other places.

I realize I’m extraordinarily fortunate to have the mum I have and not everyone has the privilege of a ready-made BFF. We will test each other of how far we can push each other's buttons (to the point of making her converse in the toilet while I'm pooping because "it's important!"). We will call each other names. We will have wildly hilarious conversations of "would you still loved me if...?" We will role play (last night, I the jazz singer, mum the chorus girl. This morning, I the barista, mum the cafe owner). We can’t help ourselves—that’s just how BFFs roll. Make fun of Bearemy, my teddy-bear of a son, and she'll get you!