Mouse

 April 11, 2024

The surprising realization that I’m in a better financial situation than “billionaire” Donald Trump. 

Day began with wildlife conflicts. Heard a tiny but unusual sound: figured there was a mouse in the washing machine, and there was. Lifted him out, made him promise not to come back, and set him down in the grass. Rodents are faithless and I knew even in the moment that he’d try to get back. Meanwhile, ants had made a nest in the mailbox. Brushed off the mail. Went for the RAID. 

Drove in hard rain to buy shoes. The young man who helped me was named Connor. I said “I wrote a book whose hero is Connor.” 

“Did you write about me?”

“Maybe. Are you a werewolf?”

“You never know.”

Realized from the shoe-buying that I had likely worn socks two or three times in the last two or three years. COVID ruined what fashion impulse I ever had. 

Almost unbearably enraging rehearsal. Interruptions interrupted now and then by rehearsing.