By Christine Trexler

I'm Chris and in an earlier story, Last From Mom, you heard about my being home sick from school and how my mother gave me an enema that morning. You also heard about how she told her best friend, Connie, who also happened to be the mother of my best friend, Barb. But this was the 1960's and it was pretty common for kids to get, as Mom used to say, "a nice enema" for "a good cleaning out" when they were home sick. The following is a story of a group of neighborhood moms who would get together every now and then for coffee and just talked, but in many instances it was just to share neighborhood gossip. Let's look in on them now.

"Carolyn, how's Chris doing? We chatted earlier when she was home sick from school. There's been a bug going around. She's OK now, I hope," said Connie pouring some freshly brewed coffee for her three friends..

"Oh, she's fine. She went back to school the next day. Like I told you, she'd been suffering from a cold all week and it finally got the best of her. I had her taking a decongestant and it really just disrupted her system."

"Disrupted her system? What happened? Did it upset her stomach or did she become really drowsy? I know those things can make me get that way," added Roberta while adding a touch of cream to her cup of coffee..

"No, nothing like that. Would you believe that it actually constipated her. She was really very sluggish. So I gave her a good enema later that morning once my husband had left for work and Robbie had gotten on the bus."

"That was probably the best thing for her. Some warm water and a little Ivory soap are all that it takes to get them feeling better. It's far better than any laxative. It's fast acting and unlike a laxative it will always work."

"You're right because I never have to fill the bag either. But Chris was just plugged up and needed some help. She complained a little but she has usually been very good about it for me and didn't fuss at all."

"I tell you, an enema is just the best thing for kids every now and then," added Debbie. And then after swallowing a sip of coffee added, "They just don't take the time to go to the bathroom when they're supposed to. Do they? Sometimes I just feel it's a good time to give all three of my kids a good cleaning out. They're not especially fond of it, but it does them good."

"That's probably not a bad idea, but the only time that mine get an enema is if they're home sick from school. It's a good way to make sure that they don't play sick. Like your kids, Debbie, neither Chris nor Robbie like getting an enema, but they put up with it for me. I think there was a time that when I'd take the bag out of the closet that Robbie would run the other way even if he knew it wasn't for him."

"Put up with it? They sound like my kids. I guess that they sort of put up with it for the most part. The older two will always whine about not needing one, but that doesn't bother me. They get one anyway. But the younger one, she will cry and fuss something awful. That doesn't stop me either. She just makes it tougher on herself because once I've made up my mind that she'd going to get an enema, she's going to get one."

Connie, who hadn't said much up to this point added, "I give Barb an enema when she needs one and she's always been really good about it for me. It must be a sign that she's getting older because a couple of months ago she wasn't feeling well and actually came and asked me for one. She wasn't direct, but just asked that if she hadn't been to the bathroom for a while what would really help. In our house there's only one answer to that question and she knew what it would be. Nevertheless, I was really surprised, but of course helped her out and gave her one. And she was right because an enema was exactly what she needed to have."

"None of mine have done that. But I guess that she is turning into a real young lady then, isn't she?" replied Roberta. "Which reminds me, I really have to get us a new enema bag. The last time I used ours I pulled its hanging hole tall the way through. It was about due to retire because it was so old. I got it from my mom who I think wound up with it when her aunt passed away. It had to have been 50 years old."

"Good ones do last almost forever, though," said Carolyn. "My grandmother has one she still uses and has to be that old."

"My grammy didn't have an enema bag, but had a white enamel can. I got my share from that too," said Debbie. "By the way, Roberta, the Rexall store is having a 2 for 1 sale. I think I might still have the coupon if you're interested."

"Thanks, but we might still have the newspaper in the garage. I'll have to look for it. Besides a second bag might be useful. I could keep it and send it off with Linda when she goes to college. She'll need one then," said Roberta.

"It's probably alright to send girls off to college with them, but I don't think I'd do that with either of the boys. I think they'll avoid that like the plague."

"You know, Roberta, if you send Linda off to school with that new bag she might decide to use it for something other than enemas," added Carolyn with a little laugh in her voice. "It wouldn't surprise me."

"You're probably right. After all, I suspect that most of us did have a feminine syringe while we were still teenagers? I know I did," replied Connie. "Would you believe that Mom actually bought it for me. It was a yellow folding type and I still have it."

Roberta added, "That's why Mom gave me that old one of my aunt's. Later I bought a bulb for douching and decided to use her syringe for enemas."

"So long as we're confessing, I had one, too," said admitted Debbie holding up her right hand.

"So did I," replied Carolyn finally being the last to fess up. "But as long as I lived home I got enemas from Mom's red bag. I guess we're creatures of our upbringing because that's exactly the type I bought once John and I got married."

"Well, now that we know that we're all ‘enema moms' what else is there to talk about?" asked Roberta. "I know any of our kids would rather die than to learn that we have shared this information. Although all of them know that that the others all get them. I guess it's something like a taboo topic."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Carolyn. "Chris told me that she and Barb have talked about them and they know that if one has been home sick from school that they were more than likely to have been given "a good cleaning out."

"I wonder if they'll be giving their kids enemas when they're moms? And then talking about it with their friends?" asked Connie.

"Wouldn't surprise me at all. Moms do talk, you know," replied Carolyn and at which point everyone had a good laugh even if it was at their kids' expense.