it was eight minutes later 10:06 AM
his cellfones log Missed calls read
09:58
he scribbled it on a piece of
paper to memorialise it because it caught his attention like a bright shiny
object
he knew of himself if he poked and
prodded hed eventually remember the eight minutesthe times
he wasnt his
mother who still didnt bother to keep a
small spiral notepad and pen near her to jot things down if they occurred worthwhile
to her in the moment
he called her back
eight minutes later
Whassup Maw
Oh hi, Joe.
Hey Maw yacalled
I called?
Yah
I called you?
Yah You called me Sounded like you had something on your mi . .
.
. I don’t know, I don’t remember, I don’t remember why I called you.
Not at allhuh
No.
Maybe yasaw something Are you
in the same room when you ca . .
. . I don’t remember calling
you.
I dont want to upset you . . you called
me eight minutes ago . . would you guess eight minutes ago youre where you are
now Maybe you were in a different room
his parents had multiple
telephones throughout their home two
levels two livingrooms two kitchens fivethousand square feet
No. I’ve been sitting here in the
family room. I haven’t left it.
Okay Maybe I crossed your mind and you just wanted
to check insay Hi
No. I don’t think you crossed my
mind, I can’t remember, my brain’s a mess, it’s all mashed up, I’m all discombobulated.
Discombobulated Thats a great word Maw six syllables most
people dont even know it Your brain cant
be so mashed up if you have six syllable words coming out of your mouth
No. You wouldn’t think so, would you? Joe. I’m a mess, I’m upset.
How can I help Maw
his sister mentioned
to him that her daughter believed her grandmother was suffering from
undiagnosed Alzheimer’s Shaddup maybe
venomous his niece saw her grandmother
once in a blue moondidnt call hed been talking with her on the telephone a
couple hours a crack practically once a week for years OH shes a librarian like he
wanted to hear her learned diagnosis Shaddup woudja
discombobulated
he wasnt he looked out into the backyard and watched wild
birds splash and bathe in the shallow end of his daughters swimming pool
absently he asked her You use this much
Excuse me?
Your pool Use it much
Not much.
Clean it yourself
No. Have somebody who does.
Pretty expensive bird bath
discombobulated
Maw Do you think you remember an use
discombobulated because Dads name Bob is in it
she laughed worry went out of her voice Oh, Joe, that’s choice, I’ll have to remember to tell him that.
Got your pad
Write it down
0958, Monday,
24 2. 20
1253, Sunday – Tolzs birthday, 30 8.
20
