The Shit Chronicles

To Do:

1. Mess around with blog for hours
2. Visit Dolly
3. Take photos
4. See you later
"Look at his hair." I sit on Dolly's couch, both of us facing the TV, the commercial booming and Dolly knitting her ten billionth dish rag, this time in a new color - maroon. "What do you think of this color," she asks me again. Would I like some cottage cheese? "No thanks! Sounds good, though." A stray coke can gets quickly swept off to her back room. "Look at how tight that man ties his tie." I look up and see Brian Williams on the screen. The phone rings and Collette, my sister, asks Dolly's opinion about a skirt on the home shopping network. "Which color should I buy?"

"Do you want to come with me to the Goodwill store," I ask.
"Oh no."
"Why?"
"I don't like going in those places."
"Why not?"
"I don't know.
"Analyze it. Why don't you like going there?"
"I don't like putting them on."
"You don't want to wear the clothes? Because they are dirty?"
"No. I don't like putting them on me." Dolly scowls and moves her hands around her torso.

At the Goodwill store I wander slowly around, realizing I feel more comfortable here than at Dolly's house. A stunning young woman with multiple piercings is at the checkout. She tells the cashier that she drove forty miles to shop here because "this is a good store". The woman next to her went to the doctor today. She is worried, and the woman with the piercings looks at her earnestly. "I'll call you as soon as I get home."

Back at Dolly's, I lay out my "finds". Several little shirts that AJ can use for dance. A cute green stretchy top with little slits at each side for Mo. I'll send them tomorrow with the "already viewed" copy of Shawn of the Dead I bought for them.

Dolly has fallen asleep in her chair with her knitting in her hands. I look over at her mantel, with its row of bright glossy Easter cards. Dolly loves greeting cards.

Driving forty miles home in the dark there is talk of Terri Shiavo on the radio, and I eat it up, like good conversation. People talking about death is somehow reassuring.

Today maybe I'll get those student papers out of my car trunk, try to get some grading done. Maybe I'll rake the front yard. Take a walk, take some pictures. I can feel the inner shift happening, from possibility to restraint. This is day eight of my ten-day spring break. Hmmm. "Shit" seems to be the theme of this little respite. I have been up to my neck in it, looking at it, smelling it, shoveling it, thinking about it.

I'll have to talk to Mallory about this one.