Mother's Day in reverse

One gorgeously sunny Mother's Day, my son Mark took me golfing. Hidden Valley golf course, a par-three here in town set the stage for a riotous afternoon.

First off, I was deeply touched that my 14-year-old would be seen in public with me, and golfing together at that. And frankly, I might have chosen to spend the afternoon sitting in the sun. But off we went.

My thoughtful son insisted on renting a golf cart to give his mom an afternoon of pampering. Therein lurked the problem.

We hacked our way through the first couple of holes, enjoying each other's company. But around the fourth hole, far from the clubhouse, our golf cart took on an evil mind of its own.

Since Mark was considered underage for driving the cart, I was at the wheel. The cart decided to quit working; it absolutely wouldn't stay in gear. Forward gear, that is. I tried; then Mark tried. Finally, I threw it in reverse and voila! We were off, craning our necks to make sure we didn't collide with trees, ball-cleaners or - my biggest fear - other golfers. And so it continued through the next five holes.

The cart let out a soft beep-beep as we careened the course, warning others that we were moving in reverse. Of course, this scene put me in fits of laughter. Even the disdainful glares of a pair of men behind us couldn't straighten me up. And soon Mark was laughing, too. All these years later, we still laugh together over the memory.

It was a fine Mother's Day. Maybe even the best ever.

May your Mother's Day (whether or not you're a mother) be full of laughter, too.