Sunday to call Matt. Instead I called Mom.
CALLED FIRST
Around ten a.m.
No answer.
Left a voice mail.
Tried again
an hour later.
Same results.
Second voice mail.
The old saying
goes, “Third time’s
a charm.” Whoever said
it didn’t know Mom.
She never returned
my calls. But the fifth
time, I guess it was
sometime well after
two, she finally
picked up.
I SUSPECTED
She was using again, not only
because she was asleep (crashed)
at two p.m., but also because
she sounded spun. Her voice
was clipped. Staccato. Hello?
Summer? Is that you?
“Uh, yeah, Mom. How come
you were asleep?” Daring the lie.
It’s Sunday. I don’t work
Sunday. Don’t you ever sleep in?