Sandra The Artist Formerly Known As Miller has a posting about the best compliment you ever received.  Lovely idea.  I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed thinking about the nicest thing someone said to me.  I enjoyed reading what others were saying.  And then I had to muck it up and call my mom and ask her the same question:

[ring]

"Hello. This is your mother.  Is someone dead?"

"What?  No.  Why?"

"Well we were just with each other a couple of hours ago.  I figured if you were calling this soon either someone was dead or you left something here."

"No one's dead and nothing is missing.  I just called to ask you a question."

"Oh, are you watching Family Feud too?  I'd say your pet.  What's your answer?"

"Mom I'm not watching Family Feud.... okay, it will bug me if I don't know.  What was the survey question?"

" 'Name something you wouldn't want frozen.' "

"I guess I wouldn't want my pet frozen, no... gee I can't think of a good answer.  Have they turned over one yet?"

"Yes.  The number one answer was popsicle.  How does that make sense?"

"ah.. It doesn't.  Are you sure you heard the question right?"

"Let me turn it up....... OH!  It's name something that should be frozen!  I'd say popsicle.  What's your answer?"

"Margarita."

"That's up there!  Number six.  I wouldn't have thought of that.  Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow...."

"Wait! Wait! Mom I didn't ask you my question yet."

"Okay, hurry up.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is coming on in a couple of minutes."

"I was reading the online diary thing and someone posted a really lovely blog about compliments.  I was curious about what was the nicest compliment you ever received."

"That's easy.  Remember I told you I use to work for a bank in downtown Dallas?"

"That was when you were really young, right?"

"Yes.  I lied about my age.  I was fifteen.  Well there was this good looking man at the bank.  He was really good looking, like William Powell good looking.  All the girls use to swoon around him."

"Uh huh..."

"One day, in the elevator, in front of the elevator operator even, he turned to me and said, 'If I was ever to step out on my wife, it would be with you.' "

" ::gasp:: "

"Yes, I had the same reaction.  So sweet."

"NO!  That was awful!  How can you think that was sweet?"

"It was too sweet!  We didn't have a fling, or even a flirt!"

"Mom, that was the cheesiest line I've ever heard.  Ewww!"

"I don't know why you think that it was a bad thing to say.  I was very flattered."

"Mom, you were fifteen!  And there's this slick older man saying that he'd cheat on his spouse with you."

"He didn't know I was fifteen.  I told everyone I was sixteen."

"That doesn't make it better!"

"Well I still think it was nice.  Do you want to play the money bonus round with me?  Or do you have another question that will try to ruin a memory for me?"

"No, I'm not by the t.v. right now.  Mom, I'm sorry if I made you feel sad about... you know, no, I'm not, that was cheesy and inappropriate what he said to you."

"Who knew I raised such a prune?  Call me tomorrow.  I'll make a list of nice things people have said to me and you can tell me how they were all wrong."

"Mom, don't get all puffed up."

"I'm teasing, I'm teasing.  Call me anyway, even if you're going to make me feel bad."

"Mom, are you trying to make me feel guilty?"

"Yes."

"It worked."

"Goodnight."

Mom, at 15!