“The parent/child role reversal may not have been unique to me, but how I dealt with it was.”
I enjoyed my carefree bachelor’s life in Los Angeles. I had no steady girlfriend, no children, few responsibilities outside of work. But that all changed when “The Call” came. Genevieve, my eighty-nine-year-old mother, was on her deathbed. I rushed to New Jersey to be by her side. Hours became days, days became weeks, then she woke up. So, I moved back into my childhood home to take over her care. My first task was to remove all hazards, which included the current caregivers.
After, I asked my 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 smiled and nodded. “That means I’m in charge, and that means now you must obey me.” Her mood shifted in an instant. She looked me dead in the eye, then puckered up her lips. I wasn’t sure if this was a sign of surrender or one wishing him luck. I kissed her and hoped for the best.
The parent/child role reversal may not have been unique to me, but how he dealt with it was. One day, hoping to make Genevieve’s time on the commode a tad more pleasant, I 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, and the clear choice for the title of this intimate, funny, and heartwarming memoir of how eldercare can be done.
A Cup of Tea on the Commode chronicles my multitasking adventures of filling my mother’s last years with love, laughter, and joy. Though not always successful, I came pretty damn close.
Author Biography
Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), earned 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 stage productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Tinseltown, 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 the locals insist his French isn’t so bad—at least that’s what he thinks they’re saying.
Mark is an award-winning designer, writer, and director. He has written lots of jokes, several screenplays, and one award-winning short film. A Cup of Tea on the Commode is his first book. WriteLife Publishing will release it on Mother's Day (May 14, 2023)
