The Black Sheep of the Family

Re: “Mum’s the Word” by Kate Collins

Abby feels she is the black sheep of the Knight family. Her mother wanted three things from her children: they should marry well, they should become doctors or lawyers and they should join a country club. Abby’s brothers have done all of these things. Abby has done none of them.

Abby says if it had been left to her, her mother would be totally unfulfilled. Abby hates country clubs, she flunked out of law school after her first year and her fiance backed out of their wedding. And grandchildren? Forget about it!

When Abby announced her intention to become the owner of a flower shop, her mother couldn’t understand why. She told Abby to resume her law studies. She said: ‘Just bring the dean a plate of brownies and he’ll let you back into law school’. Abby says if she brought the dean an entire brownie company, she couldn’t get back in!

Besides, Abby doesn’t want to be a lawyer, she wants to be a florist. Thus she will disappoint her mother yet again.