Grammy Margret

When I step out of the car into the humid New England air I know Grammy will be happy to see us. Her old house on Saville Street in Cambridge never changes. The old white house is the same one my dad grew up in. As we walk through the door her thick Irish accent greets us.

“Oh, Peter you’re so big!” she hugs us as we bring our luggage into the house. “Oh, you must be starving, you’ve been on a plane all night.” We took the red eye into Boston and I was quite hungry. She quickly lit a match to fire up the old stove. She had cooked on the same stove for her five children. The stove must be over fifty years old. She moves slowly but deliberately.

“Here have some coffee cake to hold ya over until I finish fixing you breakfast.”

I always forget how much I love her accent.

Ray Bans

He always had ray ban sunglasses tucked into his shirt. He didn't actually wear them much but when he did they looked good on him.

"you want a cigarette" he asked

"No"

He smoked. We all tried to get him to stop but it didn't work.

"what are you doing this Friday?"

"I have practice then I am going out to dinner with my family"

It wasn't really true. I did have practice but after I probably wouldn't do anything. I just didn't want to be with him. We always ended up doing the same thing. After calling people to look for parties we would just go spend money. We would eat when we weren't hungry. Spending money always made the time pass.

"Oh call me after, Brian knows of some party and I think we're gunu go"

"Alright, sounds good"

I didn't call him. I spent my Friday night at home.

Diet

"I thought you were starting that diet today"

"No, today is a gorge day"

"Well" I said "that seems a little counterproductive to me"

She went on to explain the diet. One day of eating all the food she could. The next morning I woke up to the smell of bacon. A huge breakfast sat on the table. As I ate she put pieces of bacon in her mouth.

"I thought you were starting that diet"

"No, another gorge day, the diet calls for two gorge days, then I really start the diet"

"Oh"

I kept eating the meal. My eyes didn't leave the plate. When I got home later that day she was home. I was reading a book and I could hear the sound of whipped cream. Whipped cream leaving the bottle and into her mouth. Two children walked into the house. They were being dropped off because their parents had a meeting about their divorce.

"I bet your loving that diet so far huh Lisa?"

Lisa laughed. I put the book down on my chest and took my fingers and put them in my ears. I took a deep breath.