Ten.One Thousand, Four Hundred & Fifty-Eight

1. Phone buzzing at 4:00am. His Discord app. That’s odd; doesn’t seem like the kind of person to be sneaking game time this early or late.

2. Grateful that the trash comes later and later these days. Plenty of time to get the cans out since we can never remember to take them out the night before.

3. He questions my use of maple syrup on the maple sausage.

4. Scattered.

5. I think back to standing there beside her with hands in my pockets, her asking me what I do - what I really do - and I have no answer. “You’re an artist,” she says. Yes. Maybe? Yes.

6. Daydreams of flowy dresses.

7. He asks me what’s after my name. I am confused. Then he shows me his phone, pointing to my email signature. I explain that they are gender pronouns. That we’re trying our best to be inclusive and think about how we communicate that in even these small ways.

8. The best way to get your kid to clean their room is to tell them a friend is coming over.

9. They decide on Sushi from sunshine. We eat on the bleachers at the baseball field. It’s still only the first inning. It’s shaping up to be a good one.

10. I say that it’s because I wanted him to be outside and with people and not the video games. I tell her that it’s more of a community event. Or, at least it feels that way to me, today.

11. Torres Selecta Cured Cheese Premium Potato Chips.