My mom lets out big sighs whenever she drops something. Usually she mutters "Jesus Christ!!" under her breath. When I was younger I remember telling her she is a hypocrite for using that language when she tries to be so pious. Mom got pretty pissed. I was 13, what can you do?
*

I found my tan backpack sandwiched between the dresser and bed. There is just garbage in it.. pieces of paper, a bunch of dental floss picks that got loose from their packaging, a lot of pens, and triangles of plastic wrap. I knew that when I tugged it out from beneath the mix of clothing and books which carpets my floor.
I know I was hoping to find something that would take me back to a time when lovers were local and casual conversations came easier. I sat on the edge of my bed facing the window (today it looks upon a white edifice, a grey sky, and tall trees that stand tall and are pointed at the top like knives) rifling through the bag. "Good", I thought to myself... "There are enough pens in here to last me forever." And I was relieved, yes, I thought I had escaped what would have been a self-inflicted pang of nostalgia.
Well, Garrison Keillor is a good man and I'm glad I got to see him on December 16th, stuck between a warm woman from Africa and a rosy cheeked kid from Jersey.
The envelope the tickets came in was bent five different ways and I was surprised that it hadn't met the fate of holding chewed pieces of gum like most scraps in my bags do eventually.
I put the bag down and let out a Linda Brown sigh.