“And what have you been up to?” Maga asked.
“Work and hanging with friends and a concert and lots of reading.”
“What are you reading?”
“Well, I just finished WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.”
“The what?”
I repeated the title with an extra emphasis on craw-dad.
“Can they sing?” Maga asked.
“Aren’t they fish?” I asked.
“Yes,” Maga said.
“Huh. I never thought about the title until this very moment. Umm, I think it’s more of a sound they make rather than actual singing,” I said.
“And what else did you do?” Maga said, clearly done with book club talk.
“I went to a concert by a country musician. I don’t think you know them.”
“They’re more current and popular music?”
“You got it.”
“They played at Fenway which is where the Red Sox usually play.”
“You were at a restaurant called SunRise?”
“I was at Fenway where the Red Sox play. The baseball team.”
“You were at Sun Way?’
“Yes.” I gave in to either her hearing issues or my phone’s issues.
“And what band were you seeing?”
“A country band that’s more recent. I don’t know if you know of them.”
“Their name?”
“Zac Brown Band.”
“Jack Brown?”
“Sure.” I gave in again. Maybe Jack Brown is Zac’s brother and he’s good with a fiddle. “And what have you been up to? Staying out of trouble?”
She let loose quite the chuckle. “I’ve not been getting into trouble. I assure you. I’ve been a good girl for a long time.”
I wanted to ask her to elaborate. I was ready to battle the audio challenges. I was ready. And so was she…to go on a walk outside “in the rather nice weather before the sun has set.”
Oh, boy. She tapped into one of my weaknesses. Who am I to stand in the way of her and the Colorado sunset?
“Sunsets are my favorite. I certainly don’t want to hold you up,” I said.
“Mine too. Thank you for calling. I always enjoy our time together.”
“As do I. Now go and enjoy your sunset!”
Thousands of miles apart but under the same sky. It never stops being a comforting thought, even if neither of us can hear it properly.
Abigail Mumford 