Fallout (Crank 3)

and butter. David, says Mom,

would you please put on your coat

and take Sasha outside to play in

the snow? If you wear her out, maybe

she’ll take a nice long winter’s nap.

David is willing, so off they go.

Donald and Scott are shoveling

the decks. I’ve got Mom all to

myself, a rare thing around here

lately. We haven’t talked much

since I came back. All she knows

for sure about Nikki and me

is that we had a little fight.

I’ve got a lot more than that

to tell her about, though.

I watch her cross the kitchen

floor. Graceful, like a dancer,

and fit, especially for a woman

her age. Still working out at sixty.

Wonder if I’ll have her energy.

SHE TURNS

Finds me staring, gawking

in

admiration like a regular fan boy.

What? A booger or something?

“Nope. Just wondering where

you get all your energy from.”

Can’t slow down. Too much to do.

I have to smile. “You’ve been

saying that since I was a little kid.”