But Mom! The other 61-year-olds get an allowance!

2007-08-03 03:52:34

Thu Aug 2, 10:46 AM ET

A Sicilian mother took away her 61-year-old son's house keys, cut off his

allowance and hauled him to the police station because he stayed out late.

Tired of her son's misbehavior, the retiree in the central Sicilian city of

Caltagirone turned to the police to "convince this blockhead" to behave

properly, La Sicilia, one of Sicily's leading newspapers, reported on Thursday.

The son responded by saying his mother did not give him a big enough weekly

allowance and did not know how to cook.

"My son does not respect me, he doesn't tell me where he's going in the

evenings and returns home late," the woman was quoted as saying. "He is never

happy with the food I make and always complains. This can't go on."

Police helped the squabbling duo make up and the two returned home together,

with the son's house keys and daily allowance restored.

Most Italian men still live at home late into their 30s, enjoying their

"mamma's" cooking, washing and ironing.