Uneasiness Creeping In

I blame it on Mary. She could always resolve herself to any situation. She didn’t acknowledge disappointment or sadness. She knew how to keep things inside. She knew how to save herself for herself. She could see a picture and never notice the details. Her attention was always on everything and nothing at the same time. I am the opposite.



“That is a pretty dress that Rita is wearing.” Mary said casually as she gazed out the window. “She sure has changed since we were kids. I hardly recognized her.”



I thought that I was better than Rita. Always did. What did I care about her dress? Or, how different she is? I didn’t comment. I kept slicing grapes for the chicken salad I was working on for our book club meeting that afternoon. “I thought she would be a nice addition to our group. At the very least, we can all get reacquainted with her.”



“Mary, you know that I was never acquainted with her in the first place.”



“Leon didn’t make it seem that way. I invited her to join the club after we all bumped into each other at the grocery store. “ Mary scrunched up her forehead as if trying to recall something. “Actually, I bumped into the two of them talking.”

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