Ya know.... Most people look thru their wallets or their pocketbooks.... And waaay down at the bottom.... Past the credit cards and baby pictures and so on.... You usually find a little OLE piece of dog-eared poetry. I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and I.... Ran across a whole bunch of I.O.U’s.... Some of the 35 years over due. And you know the funny thing.... All these I.O.U’s are owed to one person and I ...kinda felt like that maybe now would be a pretty good time for an accounting.

MOM, I sure hope your listenin’. Sweet Lady, I owe you for so many things, allot of services....., like night watchman for instances. Lying awake nights listenin’ for coughs an cry’s an creakin’ floors boards..... and me comin’ in too late... boy you had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion.... But you always had a heart as big as a house. I owe you for services like a...short order cook, chief, baker. For makin’ sirloin out of hamburger an.... turkey out of tuna fish... and big ole strappin' boys out of leftovers.

I.O.U...for cleaning services.... The daily scrubbin’ of face and ears... all work done by hand...and for the frequent dustin’ of a small boys pants... to try and make sure they led a spotless life. And for washin’ and ironin’ that no laundry could ever do…. For dryin’ the tears of childhood an…. Ironin’ out the problems of growin’ up.

I.O.U for services of as bodyguard for....protectin’ me from the terrors of thunderstorms and nightmares.……  And too many green apples.... And Lord knows I.O.U for medical attention for nursin’ me through measles, mumps, bruises, bumps, splinters an spring fever...Oh! Oh!... let's not forget medical advise...important things like....if you keep on scratchin that it'll never get well....or... if you cross your eyes their going to stick like that....and probably the most important advice of them all...Boy!.....You be sure you got on clean underwear in case you’re in an accident.

And..………I.O.U for veterinarian services...for feedin’ every lost dog that I dragged home at the end of the rope.... And for healin’ the pain of puppy love...And…………..I.O.U.... For entertainment... Entertainment that kept the household goin’ durin’ some pretty rough times...and for wonderful productions at Christmas, 4th of July, Birthdays.... And for ...makin’ make-believe come true.... And you did it all on such a limited budget...I.O.U for...construction work...for buildin’ kites an..... Confidence, hopes and dreams, and.... somehow you made em all touch the sky...and for cementin’ together the family... so it would stand the worst kinds of shocks an blows...and for layin’ down a Good strong foundation to build a life on....I.O.U for...carrin’ charges....For carrin’ me on your books for the nesessaties of life that a growin’ boy somehow ...ayyy.... They just got ta have... things like.... a pair of high top boots with a little pocket on the side for a jackknife...AND one thing MOM I'll never forget...when there were two pieces of pie and three hungry people...you were always the one that decided.... Weeeell.... I'm not really that hungry anyhow....THESE are just a few of the things for which payment is long overdue....the person that I owe em to...worked very, very cheap......she managed by simply doin’ without a whole lot of things that she needed herself.............. My I.O.U's add up to more than I could ever hope to repay... But you know.... The nicest thing about it all... That I know that she'd mark the entire bill Paid In Full.... For just one kiss ...and four little words..."MOM... I LOVE YA!"

By Jimmy Dean

Geez, Beautiful!!!  Sniff!!  Sniff!!  Now I gotta go call my Mom.
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