Ten.One Thousand, Four Hundred & Seventeen

1. It’s already Thursday.

2. Thank goodness for boxed breakfasts these days.

3. You can tell they’re tourists because they keep walking in circles around the store.

4. Negative.

5. We talk about boundaries and kids and sticking up for yourself and being exhausted by baseball. We sit and drink a glass of water before I leave. Bird chatter in the background. I am happy to be here.

6. I ask him if he needs help. He asks me to give him the answer. That’s not how this works.

7. We work at the table together. For a brief moment, I consider what it might be like to homeschool him. I’ve been thinking of this off and on for so many years. What is his specific need? Can I realistically accommodate it?

8. “I think I just had to get it off my chest,” I say. “Even though I didn’t say everything, just saying those things helped.”

9. Hanger steak and chimichurri and an herb salad.

10. Cancer Traits:

    1. Very sensitive

    2. Seeks comfort

    3. Forgives but never forgets

    4. Only has one boundary, but it is very firm

    5. Takes on other people’s problems