“Hi, Abby dear. Isn’t it Monday?”
“It is. But I had some time tonight and wanted to have more time to chat with you.”
“Well I sure do appreciate it. I’m lonely and missing my family tonight. I guess that happens when you get old.”
“Or when you live alone.”
“We’re in the same boat, I suppose,” Maga said. “What are you up to now?”
“Just folding some laundry.”
“That’s so great. Ha. Ha.”
Her use of sarcasm is so rare, I burst out laughing. Her hearing wasn’t top notch tonight, and she wasn’t hearing my explanation, so I quickly collected myself and tried a different tactic. “Actually, I don’t mind laundry. I’d rather do that than cook.”
“Oh. I see. You prefer that to other domestic activities.”
“You got it.”
“I always rather liked to cook. More than cleaning the house and what not.”
We may not agree on the laundry vs cooking debate, but we definitely fall on the same side of cleaning. On a night that felt lonely for us both, I hoped that commonality was enough to tide her over until Aunt J could next visit.
Abigail Mumford 