Summer 2022

[Redacted]’s mom has this kind of neurotic friend named Marlene. She is loud, and she insists on answering anyone’s questions from no matter how far away. She repeats the joke until someone chuckles. She drinks her coffee and says, “coffee.” She asks people, “what are you looking at?” as they gaze at a distant corner of the river outside. She insisted on seeing every single possible firework last night, alternating between the front porch and back deck until the entire night was finally silent. I bet she is tired. I wonder if she drives her children crazy.

She is really nice, though, as far as I can tell. I keep thinking, really in just a lighthearted way, that my own mom wouldn’t be able to stand her. By late morning, Marlene has offered us every single thing out of the fridge.