Day 13

Today is my birthday. I am an Aries and INTP, if you’re into that sort of thing My next door neighbor from Nashville called to wish me a HB. She’s 81. I’ve known her since I was about 10. She and my mom were confidantes, and after my mom died, she and I had that relationship as well. She’s one of my favorite people in the world and I miss living across the street from her, especially now. We catch up on neighborhood news. The kindest man in our neighborhood died of cancer; the couple from Chicago who bought my old place tore down all the trees and keep to themselves; the nice neighbor who bought the house on the corner was fired and had to move. She tells me she wants me to be happy, to live somewhere that’s good for my art, and that after that, she wishes I would meet a nice man. She calls me, “Love,” throughout our conversation. “How are you, Love? Take care, Love…Bye, Love.” I was going to take a hike, but I had to text my Instacart shopper and request peanuts in order to make peanut butter. Can’t do Skippy. Not there yet.

Mary Addison Hackett

Mary Addison Hackett