Household Words, 7

On Christmas Eve, Louie, Monique and my father went to the grocery store on a last-minute errand—whipped cream, or vanilla– something like that. My mom was checking on everything, in calm sequence: the oven, turkey steaming and sweet potatoes bubbling; the microwave, with a casserole dish of steamed canned corn; the refrigerator, where cranberry sauce […]

Household Words, 6

This is an unusual Christmas. My brother Jerry is in Europe, studying British history, and my brother Louie’s friend was having a big party, so he won’t arrive until Christmas Eve. The other odd twist is that my cousin Monique had come. When we were kids, Monique double-dated with Jerry, and I was stuck with […]

Household Words: Part 5

My mother went to bed early. Her voice honked when she wasn’t sniffling, and all her pockets were full of twisted Kleenex. My father sat in his chair watching television, some woodworking show, though he isn’t too handy. Do all fathers have a chair in front of the television? Would I? I’m making tea for […]

Household Words: Part 4

We had a few more meals together: an Indian dinner, with cloth napkins and red sauces, and pizza at a corner table. Then I got my financial aid statement from USC-San Diego. It was more than I’d gotten anywhere else—much more. The building I lived in then had a row of brass mailboxes that must […]