Maria, who lives in Los Angeles, receives a call from her mother, who still lives in a small village in Italy.

Mother: “Your father is sick.”

VM: “Non-fat milk please…. What?”

Mother: “He turned seventy last week. I mean, seventy-one, already.”

VM: “Is this my Chai Latte? Non-fat, right?”

Mother: “He came here to celebrate together. He asked if you need anything. He always does.”

VM: “Wasn’t Hot Topic next to Starbucks?!”

Mother: “I gave him the pictures you sent. He almost….”

VM: “…”

Mother: “What do you have there you didn’t have here?”

VM: “Cheap rock ‘n’ roll clothes, mom. That’s America.”

Mother: “Did you need more clothes?!?”

VM: “…for the concert tomorrow – yup.”

Mother: “Do you sing now?”

VM: “I’m just gonna go see my married man with his new Gibson.”

Mother: “You said you’re getting married, Maria?”

VM: “…why do you always…?!?”

Mother: “…oh Gesu’, I made you too beautiful for….”

VM: “…and I took your beauty away, didn’t I? Probably my man thinks the same of his wife, when he looks at his kids.”

Mother: “Well, your intelligence comes from your father, but the beauty is from both of us….”

VM: “I wonder if she has the same scar I left on your belly.”

Mother: “I showed Angelina our wedding album the other day and she said you had never told her how much you look like your father….”

VM: “…”

Mother: “We… we have always tried to…”

VM: “Oh, there it is – Hot Topic!!!”

Mother: “…you were the best thing we have been able to do… but you were just too good for us….”

VM: “What a cool pink skirt… oh, there’s also in black and red!!!”

Mother: “I’ll see if next month I can send you something… or I’ll tell your father you need a new skirt…. How much is it?”

VM: “Nothing.”

Mother: “Come on… do you still wear our Christmas Ray-Bans?”

VM: “You know my account number, so….”

Mother: “What about that boy you met in Amsterdam?”

VM: “What?”

Mother: “Why don’t you go to his concert, instead… doesn’t he live in Los Angeles too?”

VM: “I have no idea of who you are talking about….”

Mother: “Antonio… the nice one… the one with the painted arms….”

VM: “…you mean rock icon Anthony Kiedis, by any chance?”

Mother: “Antonio… yes, just him!!!”

VM: “Oh my… he already had a kid last year.”

Mother: “Better for you.”

VM: “…I don’t even know how to….”

Mother: “He is not married. He’s a good guy.”

VM: “Mom, he is a drug addict….”

Mother: “Good! Go look for him in one of their met-tings, then!”

VM: “…you still go to church, mom?!?”

Mother: “Oh, I heard they have those met-tings in the churches too… ask around to see which one he goes.”

VM: “…but….”

Mother: “…but nothing. We are old, but you are young… and you are very good at pretending, so….”

VM: “So…?!?”

Mother: “So, tomorrow you wear your new skirt, go to the met-tings and ask Antonio if he wants to come to your married friend’s concert with you, the next time.”

Story by Liliana Isella.