I’ve fought off invisible germs for weeks now. I cancelled tonight’s plans. All day at school I’d cough, wash my hands. A tear leaked down my cheek. I drove straight to Ruggeri’s Food Shoppe on Northumberland and Shady. Bought the mother remedy. Came home, heated up the soup and applesauce, drank the juice, opened a waxy sleeve of saltines. Placed it all on the hammered aluminum tray. Comforted my cold misery with the salty broth and parsley bits floating. It could be Seagram’s Vernor’s or this time Canada Dry. Missing my mother. Missing my mothering with all the family grown and gone. Came home with a brown grocery bag containing the ingredients for healing at least my spirits if not the sniffles. In bed for an hour already. It is 6:35 PM.
