My mother's first attempt at dying occurred nine days after her eighty-ninth birthday. Mark lived a carefree bachelor life, no children, few responsibilities outside of work, but that all changed when
The Call
came. So he gave up that life and moved back to his childhood home in New Jersey to take over his eighty-nine-year-old mother's care. His first task was to remove all hazards, which included Genevieve's current caretakers. After, he asked his mother,
Do you trust me?
She whispered,
Yes.
Do you understand I will do everything in my power to keep you healthy and safe?
She nodded.
That means I'm in charge, and that means now you must obey me.
Her mood shifted in an instant. She looked him dead in the eye, then puckered up her lips. He wasn't sure if this was a sign of surrender or one wishing him luck. He kissed her and hoped for the best. Compassion, patience, and the indispensable sense of humor came into play daily and often all at once during their journey. The parent/child role reversal may not have been unique to Mark, but how he dealt with it was. For instance, one day, hoping to make Genevieve's adventures on the commode a tad more pleasant, he offered her a cup of her favorite beverage. It was a hit, and a cup of tea on the commode became a staple on the morning menu. A Cup of Tea on the Commode, a sad, sweet, and funny memoir, chronicles Mark's multitasking adventures of filling Genevieve's last years with love, laughter, and joy. Though not always successful, he came pretty damn close.
By:
Mark Steven Porro
Imprint: WriteLife LLC
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 228mm,
Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781608082940
ISBN 10: 1608082946
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 22 August 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Table of ContentsGenevieve' s Vision 6Part One: Crisis 8Chapter 1: The Call 9Chapter 2: Way Back When (1922 onward) 14Chapter 3: A Silent Scream 18Chapter 4: Mum' s the Word (1970s-1992) 22Chapter 5: Be Patient 29Chapter 6: The Surviving Catholic (1963 onward) 32Chapter 7: Planting the Seed 37Chapter 8: Salt, Pepper, and a Drop of Whiskey (1962) 41Chapter 9: The Miracle Poop 44Chapter 10: The Recyclers (1960s) 47Chapter 11: The Best Medicine 49Chapter 12: Never Doubt a Mother' s Intuition (1963) 51Part Two: Change 53Chapter 13: A Whole New Ballgame 54Chapter 14: I' m from Missour-uh (My entire life) 60Chapter 15: The UPC Label Mystery (1993) 61Chapter 16: It Might Be Time to Get Mom Some Help (2006 and beyond) 64Chapter 17: Odd Jobs and Early Investments (1960s) 66Chapter 18: The Experiment Begins (2006) 69Chapter 19: Then Came the Squatters 72Chapter 20: Is that your Picasso in the outfield? (1965- 1971) 75Chapter 21: It' s Like De ja Vu All Over Again 80Chapter 22: Natale (1891) 83Chapter 23: There' s a New Sheriff in Town 87Chapter 24: My Brother Teresa (His entire life) 91Chapter 25: You Can Take the Kid Out of Jersey But... (1957 onward) 93Chapter 26: The Parade of Aides 98Part Three: Commitment 105Chapter 27: Single, Fifty-Five, and Living with My Mother 106Chapter 28: Genevieve' s Warehouse (Her entire life) 108Chapter 29: I Am My Mother' s Son 115Chapter 30: Day of Beauty 118Chapter 31: Not Another Fire, Please 123Chapter 32: It Took a Theft (Late 1960s) 127Chapter 33: The Battle of the Dutch Door 130Chapter 34: If You Rebuild It, They Will Come 132Chapter 35: Give Me a Break 139Chapter 36: Genevieve' s Personal Chef 143Chapter 37: Reality Will Be Unkind 147Part Four: Catharsis 149Chapter 38: Just the Two of Us (1997 or 98) 150Chapter 39: A Recurring Dream (1960s) 152Chapter 40: Early in Our Journey 154Chapter 41: A Two-Year-Old Walks into a Bar (1959) 157Chapter 42: Un Maniaque du Me nage 159Chapter 43: And as Swift as Evolution She Shuffled Across the Floor 161Chapter 44: Does Wiping Butt Cause Amnesia? 163Chapter 45: Better Than Food (1960s) 166Chapter 46: The First 6:00 am Wake-Up Call 169Chapter 47: You' re Gonna Need a Bigger Fireplace (1970s onward) 171Chapter 48: Our Champion of the Arts (1960s) 173Chapter 49: Queen for a Day 177Chapter 50: Genevieve and the Two Gs (1994) 180Chapter 51: Superstorm Sandy 182Chapter 52: Why Are You Doing This? 185Chapter 53: Bed, Bath and Beyond 189Chapter 54: Okay, Be How Patient? 192Chapter 55: Full Circle (1948- 1997) 195Chapter 56: House Calls, Who Makes House Calls? 200Chapter 57: My Chick Magnet 203Chapter 58: When Ya Comin' Home? 204Chapter 59: What is It with Old People and Kleenex? 206Part Five: Curveball 208Chapter 60: Third Time, No Charm 209Chapter 61: Marina and Martini 215Chapter 62: Halloween Delayed 218Chapter 63: A Surprise Letter from an Old Friend 221Chapter 64: Care Takers, A Crime Ring 224Chapter 65: Three More Birthdays 226Chapter 66: The End is Near 229Chapter 67: Letting Go 232Chapter 68: Our Journey Comes to an End 242Chapter 69: You Led the Way 248Mark' s Vision 250
Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), holds an Industrial Design degree from The Ohio State University. After years of agency work, his love of acting led him to Hollywood where he appeared in dozens of television, film, and theatre productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Hollywood entrepreneuring. He started five non-profit companies, but hold the applause: none were intended to be. He now lives in the South of France, but hold your pity. He of sound mind and body chose to suffer in the heart of wine country where he thinks the locals insist his French isn't so bad.
