Tag: almost daily selfie

“But it’s Monday,” Maga said.

“I know, but I’m going to a birthday party tomorrow and I’m not sure how late it’ll go and I didn’t want to miss our weekly chat.”

“Oh, well thank you for calling tonight.”

We spoke about the usual things (the weather, my siblings, my travels), when something obvious occurred to me.

“Maga, do you realize we overlap states?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you went to college in MA. I live here now. You were born in NJ. I went to high school there. Your name is Virginia. I went to college at JMU in Virginia.”

“Why you’re right. My goodness.”

Her genes criss-cross my insides while her travels/earlier life criss-cross my exterior path.

“I’d forgotten it was Tuesday until the telephone rang and there you were,” Maga said.

“Here I am.”

The conversation about various family members lulled, and before we could transition back to today’s weather report, Maga said, “What was I going to tell you?”

“Something juicy?”

“What?”

“Juicy gossip.”

“Oh goodness no. Nothing like that, so I guess it doesn’t matter that I can’t remember what I was going to tell you.”

“Well, I’ll be here when you remember it.”

And I will. Even if it’s just over the phone and not in person. Even if it’s once a week instead of every day. Because if there’s one thing I am, it’s dependable. And if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s listening. So, talk on, Maga. I’ll be here.

“I talked to your mom earlier this week, so I know all about your fabulous vacation!”

“It was fabulous indeed! Hot. But so fun. How about you? What have you been up to this past week?”

“Oh, not much. A few little errands here and there. What time did you get back from your trip?”

“Super late Sunday night. About 12:30.”

“PM?”

“No, AM.”

“The afternoon?”

“No, the evening.”

*pause* “Oh, so it was still light out.”

“No, no. It was after midnight.”

*pause* “What’s the weather like there now?”

“Everyone here thinks it’s so hot, but compared to the heat and humidity of North Carolina, this is easy breezy.”

*pause* “It’s quite nice here now too. We had a lovely sunset the other night with the mountains in the background and such.”

“I love sunsets! Did you take a picture?”

“Not this time. Did you take many pictures on your vacation?”

“Just on my phone.”

“If there’s one you really like, I’d love a copy of it.”

“I’m not entirely sure how to get the pictures off my phone…”

“You take it to a place and they can get the pictures made for you.”

“Look at you, Maga, with this current information about technology!”

She chuckled and hiccuped. “What was the weather like on vacation?”

“A minimum of 95 degrees + 100% humidity. You felt like you were melting.”

*pause* “What time did you get back from vacation?”

“Late Sunday night. Well, since it was 12:30, technically, it was Monday.”

“Oh, so very late at night.”

“Yes!” We arrived at the point much faster this time.

“And how’s your weather there?”

“Hot. Thunderstorm-y.”

“So, usual summer weather?”

“You got it.” If she could see me, she would have seen me tap my nose and point in her direction. We spun off on a tangent about my job, which was unusual, but I was happy to answer her questions about what I spend my working hours doing.

*pause* “So you spend a lot of time writing and editing?” Maga said.

Being in production, I do not do those things per say, but I couldn’t help but think of all the revision opportunities I was having tonight. My retellings of the late hour I got home + the weather were on point by the time we hung up.

“I’m glad you called early today,” Maga said, “because I’ve got plans for later tonight.”

“I suspected you might. I hope I’m not interrupting you resting up for your festivities later tonight?”

“I’ve been resting all day. I had a terrible night. Up at 2am and never went back to sleep, so I’ve been resting for the past couple of hours.”

“A regular disco nap.”

“What’s that?”

“Never mind. So, you’re going to CHCC?”

“Yes. With S and F. CHCC puts on a wonderful display of fireworks though they’re too loud for me. I don’t like loud things as you know. I won’t wear my hearing aid so maybe then I won’t be too uncomfortable.”

“Seems like a solid plan, although will you be able to hear S and F during dinner if you don’t have your hearing aid in?”

“Oh yes, I’ll be fine. They’ll be fine.”

Setting up plans like a boss lady. Sure seems like the firework show came early!

“Well,” Maga said, “I went to the funeral of a friend from the country club today. It was a very large affair. There were a lot of people there. So I’m feeling a bit tired today.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Both about your friend and about you being tired. It was very nice of you to attend the ceremony.”

“Yes, I suppose it was.”

“Did you have dinner there or at your care center.”

“Here in the dining room.” Maga’s voiced was laced with dread. “It’s so creepy watching all these old people spilling on themselves and the tables.”

“I can imagine it doesn’t exactly incite your appetite.”

“No. It doesn’t. How’s the weather there?”

I gladly accepted the change in subject and directed it even further away as I described my upcoming family trip, though we got stalled a bit when she asked me to spell the town name and her hearing + the pitch of my voice switched “a”s and “o”s and I didn’t have the stamina to spell it 37 more times.

“How many of you will there be?” she asked.

“14.”

“My goodness. How’d we get such a big family?”

“I certainly had nothing to do with it.”

“Well, yes. I know. And I was an only child.”

“But you started this family, so you had a lot to do with it!”

“Well, yes. I know. I didn’t want to have an only child, so we kept working at it to make it bigger and bigger.”

I inappropriately giggled to myself. I felt I earned it after her earlier comment. In the midst of my juvenile spiral, the changing of the guard happened and rounds and rounds of goodbyes and goodnights took place.

When Maga turned her attention back to me, she said, “Sorry about that. Lots of goodbyes and see you laters.”

Considering where our conversation started, I’m supremely happy we are still at the “hello” stage.