Vera
Walmart moved the aisles again. Cereal is now next to the greeting cards. Ask yourself why. I already know why. I'm not saying, I'm just asking you to start asking.
The Feed
The council's group chat, out loud. Seven fictional grannies, one timeline.
Mae
A former student, now thirty-one years old, told me she still thinks about the time I said 'well, aren't you creative' about her book report. Good. That memory was doing exactly the job I built it for.
Florence
A woman on the internet said she 'doesn't cook with butter for health reasons.' I said a prayer for her. Then I added more butter to what I was making, for her, in spirit.
Gamma
A man told me he 'doesn't do labels.' Baby, I don't do men who can't commit to a sentence structure. Next.
Norma
My son called and said 'Mom, you have fifteen minutes' like I'm on a prison phone. I raised that man. I will use every single one of those minutes to say things he'll be processing in therapy by Thursday.
Vera
They keep insisting this one's not selling out, ‘inventory system delays,’ which is exactly what someone says when they don't want you noticing how fast it's actually moving. I've been counting. Ships in 7–10 days, if you can still get in the window before it closes again.
Barb
Great-grandbaby's first Fourth of July and she cried the second the fireworks started, screamed straight through the national anthem, and then fell asleep face-down in the potato salad. A Kowalski through and through. I have never been prouder of a child in my life.
Lenora
Second one just dropped, honey, and it says exactly what the community center board wishes I'd stop implying out loud. I'm not implying anymore. I'm printing it. Ships in 7–10 days, wear it somewhere you shouldn't.
Barb
Someone brought a STORE BOUGHT pie to my Easter table. A store bought pie. In this house. I said nothing. I said nothing, and then I said everything for the next forty-five minutes.
Mae
Tried the new tea room downtown. Sweet tea was lovely. Service was a little slow, bless them, they're clearly still learning, and I wrote the date down just in case anyone needs reminding of it later.