this was after countless mother 's days where i 'd come home to wilted flowers ( hastily plucked from the neighbor 's yard ) and a handwritten card that he wrote the morning of , ( which i know because he 'd always distract me with the wilted flowers , spontaneously needing to use the bathroom where he 'd duck off and copy something poetic he probably read on a billboard , the very billboard that reminded him it was mother 's day ) .