January 1, 2016

Nearly impromptu party here last night to ring in the new year, R and M and DJ and K and A and B. I made annihilating punch, and we made fun of the television personalities trying to entertain us into the new year. M explained her decision to give up acting in favor of working as a college registrar. I understood. Theater and I have remained friends because I never depended on it for a livelihood.  Went to Ingall’s and stood in line behind a wild brood, a distracted mother, four or five children clustered around one of those house-on-wheels things that can be used as a babysitter/shopping cart. As I watched, a little girl still strapped into the cart took a sucker off the display and hid it in the folds of her coat. I wanted it to be innocent, but it wasn’t, and the giveaway was the look on her face. She shifted her eyes away from the hand that had stolen the candy, staring up at the ceiling in affected nonchalance. I was looking at a shoplifter, and not at a little girl who wanted a piece of candy. Didn’t know what to do; did nothing. If the first day of the year is an indication of the year, then 2016 is going to be full of naps and lying around with a cat on my feet.