don't look away

Got a call tonight from a creditor. My mom "owes" them $165.00 USD. I was listed as a reference, could I help them find her. I said yes, I could. Do you have a number, I was asked. I said I'm not sure about a number, but I can give you a location. Where would that be sir? I said right next to my father in Wall, SD. We buried her there. In a brass box.
The person on the phone didn't get it and asked again, do you have a number? Your dad's number. I said 1964. What? 1964. That's when he died. She didn't miss a beat. OK, then your Mom's number would be? I paused to think. A while thereafter I said try 2005. She asked for the area code and I said 605.
Then she asked how best to contact her. I said with a shovel and a permit. She's dead too. You'll have to dig her up.
She must have been reading a script because she then asked if I was responsible for her debts. Money-wise? I said yeah, I owe. I owe her a lot, but I don't owe you anything.
Poor girl. She didn't mean it. She started crying on the phone. Sometimes people are real. She was.
I said just don't look away. Steal it while you still understand it.