I still need to find a way to squeeze in a quick vacuum and I’ll probably have Crystal clean the guest bathroom, but it should be fine if no one arrives before 12:30. It’s quite late and I should get to bed – lots to do tomorrow!
Gratitudes:
I am grateful for Adam, for being such a gentleman and inviting me on a second date!
I am grateful for my daughters, and that we’ll all be together tomorrow.
I am grateful for Ingrid, for encouraging me to branch out and try more gluten-free recipes.
Letter, November 22
Hi David,
Hope this reaches you. Your parents said you had reached Kennedy Meadows already, so I’m sending this to Hiker Heaven. They said to put your trail name on the box, so I hope I spelled it correctly. I’ve included some supplies to help you on the final leg: sunscreen, protein bars, chocolate-covered raisins, Almond Joys, toilet paper, castile soap, a mini sketch pad, and some athletic socks. I would’ve included something more fun, but it sounds like high-calorie foods and practical items are probably a better use of your pack weight.
I haven’t heard from you for awhile, so I’m not sure where you stand with the whole relationship thing. I hope that your hike has been illuminating, and that you are finding the answers you set out to find.
I’ve been working really hard on my Rapunzel novel lately. I restarted it over the summer and have felt a lot more inspired recently. It’s not done yet, but I’ve got a good 52,000 words now. I’ve also been making more time to read, since you’ve always said how important that is for writers.
Happy Thanksgiving, and…
“May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.”
-Crystal
P.S. I’m finally reading The Hobbit. I’m at the part where Bilbo stabs a bunch of spiders.
Text Messages, November 22
Mom
We forgot the rolls!!! Can you stop at the grocery store?
Crystal
Sure I’m right by Ralph’s
Mom
But we need gluten-free rolls for Ingrid and Whole Foods does them best.
Crystal
Do you want me to go to Whole Foods?
Mom
No, I can go later.
Crystal
I’m pretty sure they close early today
Crystal
I’ll head over there now
Mom
Would you? Thank you so much!!!
Margot’s Journal, Thursday, November 23
Thanksgiving was a little disappointing this year. Bryan called us from the airport, and told us that he and Lisa weren’t going to make it this year. Lisa’s ear infection has taken a turn for the worse, and the doctor on call advised her against flying. The antibiotics should knock it out in a few days, but in the meantime, she needs to rest and avoid altitude changes.
I understand, and I want Lisa to feel better. Regardless, it was frustrating, because I had just washed the full china dinner set and made place settings for six, and now we were down to four.
I could tell Crystal was disappointed as well, but we decided to make the best of it and stick to the original plan. So we spent the whole morning cooking and cleaning. Ingrid and Warren were supposed to arrive around 12:45 PM, but it was well past one before I heard from them. I had the food all in foil and simmering on low heat, of course, when Ingrid called to say that Warren had taken a tumble, and they couldn’t come either. I told her that I was sorry to hear about Warren, and was glad bruising was the worst of it, and wished him a speedy recovery.
But when I sat down at the dinner table, set with my best china and decorated so beautifully, I started to cry. It was so exhausting getting ready for the day, and I think I was feeling extra emotional because of all the excitement lately, with the new business and the new man in my life. I felt better after I let some of my feelings out, and Crystal and I ate the feast ourselves. Of course, we had an abundance of leftovers, so I froze portions of some dishes and refrigerated the rest. I felt bad about spending so much on food only to have no one show up to eat it, but Crystal said we could enjoy the leftovers and call it “Thanksgiving week.”
After we finished our meal, I sent Adam a quick “Happy Thanksgiving” text. He sent me a picture of him with his parents, who look like a nice couple. They seem to be about my mother’s age, and in good health. His mother is quite lovely, a bit like Diane Lane, and his father must’ve been quite handsome in his youth. I could see the resemblance.
I called my mother that afternoon as well. She had her Thanksgiving at Rosalie’s house with some of the other HHHA ladies, along with Grace and Alice (who flew back to be with Rosalie). After we had a nice little chat, Mother mentioned that she is going to have hip surgery, and that it’s scheduled for December 3, barely three weeks before the fundraiser. The doctor told her that she’d have to be on bed rest, and the recovery may be slow. I told her that it might be best to pass off the fundraiser planning to someone else, and she said she’d volunteered me for the job. I was so surprised. Apparently the HHHA board members have a lot on their plates, including major health issues, family crises, and a retirement to Florida (among other things). Mother thought I’d be the “perfect fit” since I’ve already been handling some duties, and she said she’d made arrangements so I wouldn’t even have to fly out until just before the party.
I was shocked, to be honest. I’ve been telling Mother how busy I am with this new business, but she seems to think that it’s just a hobby. To her, it’s no more important than a part-time job. I don’t know how to tell her that my new business is very time-consuming, and takes up the majority of my time, even more than when I was a hygienist (commute included). I suppose it might be hard for her to understand, as she’s not here to see it, but I found myself agreeing to host the HHHA fundraiser anyway. It’s in Northfield, several states away, so it’s going to be interesting for sure. Mother really does have it worse, having to go through surgery and a painful recovery, but I wish she’d at least have consulted me first. Would it really have hurt her to say, “Is this something you might be interested in?” or “Do you think you can find the time for it?” I probably would’ve agreed anyway, but it would’ve been nice to be asked, at least, instead of volunteered, well, involuntarily.
I probably need to be more assertive. Next time I run into a situation like this, I’ll be sure to tell Mother that I’m very busy, but I will see what I can do. That way, I won’t be caught off guard, and I’ll have more time to think it over. She might be my mother, but that doesn’t mean that I have to do everything she says, either.
I love my mother, but sometimes I wish she’d think about what it’s like to be me. It’s been an exhausting day, and I’m so tired that I don’t even want to think about what I’m in for with this HHHA fundraiser. I somehow have to organize the perfect party from five states away.
Gratitudes:
I am grateful for Crystal, for having Thanksgiving with me.
I am grateful for Adam, for sharing his family photo.
I am grateful for Mother, for giving me the opportunity to be more assertive.
Boople Chat, Nov 24 9:41 AM
Lisa
morning
Crystal
hey! how’s the ear?
Lisa
slightly better
Lisa
the antibiotics seem to be working
Crystal
oh good
Lisa
sorry we had to miss thanksgiving
Lisa
i really hated to cancel at the last minute like that
Crystal
it’s ok, you can’t help being sick
Lisa
:)
Crystal
did you get some decent food at least?
Lisa
bryan made me kimchi pancakes
Crystal
i thought you didn’t like cabbage
Lisa
it’s growing on me
Lisa
anyway how did mom take it? i had trouble reading her on the phone
Crystal
she was a little disappointed
Crystal
but last night she was more worried about taking over the HHHA fundraiser thing
Lisa
??
Crystal
oh she didn’t tell you?
Crystal
grandma is having hip surgery so she asked mom to take over the northfield HHHA fundraiser
Lisa
but you’re like halfway across the country
Crystal
yep
Crystal
but mom felt obligated to agree
Lisa
why couldn’t one of the other HHHA ladies do it?
Crystal
it’s complicated
Crystal
anyway she’s pretty much stuck now
Crystal
so i’m just going to try to stay out of the way
Lisa
sounds like a plan
Crystal
btw i’m up to 52,000 words now
Lisa
on the rapunzel novel?
Crystal
yep
Lisa
that’s great
Crystal
thanks
Crystal
yeah it’s still not done yet but it’s officially my longest project yet
Lisa
nice :)
Crystal
i’m starting to get a little stir crazy though
Crystal
i’ve been too busy to exercise
Crystal
and i ate way too much pumpkin pie over thanksgiving
Lisa
mom’s pies are the best :)
Lisa
you could always take a spin class or something
Crystal
sounds fun but aren’t they expensive?
Lisa
most of them have a free trial class
Crystal
hmm there are a lot of studios in san diego
Crystal
if i tried a new one each week, how long do you think i could work out for free?
Lisa
haha
Lisa
might be worth a shot
Crystal
oh mom’s almost done with her yoga routine
Crystal
gotta get going
Lisa
kk
Crystal
hope you feel better
Lisa
thanks :)
Lisa
sorry again about thanksgiving
Crystal
don’t worry about it :)
Lisa
:)
Email, November 27
From: Margot Hemmingway
To: Ingrid Wagner
Subject: Re: Thanksgiving
Hello Ingrid,
There’s no need to apologize about Thanksgiving. I was so sorry to hear about Warren’s fall, and I’m glad that he’s on the mend now. I completely understand about postponing our weekend walks temporarily; I’ll look forward to resuming when you have time again.
It was a good week overall. We had a couple of sales at the farmers’ market, and I’m experimenting with new flavors such as matcha and lavender. I also met a nice man, but it’s still early days. We first met at the dog park (long story), but have gone on a couple of casual dates since. Yesterday, we had a nice time at the movies, and then went out for dessert afterwards. I was quite impressed – he seemed quite knowledgeable about all the truffles, pastries, and mousses. Yet he doesn’t seem to have a favorite, because he says that he loves almost any dessert. Do you think that’s strange not to have a favorite? Most people at least prefer chocolate over coffee, or have a soft spot for toffee or berries.
Looking forward to hearing more about your upcoming gardening projects. Send my best to Warren; I sent along a little note with a treat, which should arrive around Tuesday.
Yours Truly,
Margot
Crystal’s Journal, November 28
I got a check from Boople in the mail today. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but for some reason, the stipend is for every single day since the dog park, including the days when neither Mom nor I saw Adam. So there was definitely more there than I was expecting.
I felt awkward keeping the money, but it was too much to give to Mom at once. I knew she’d be suspicious if I just handed her over a grand, especially since I haven’t been working much. I lied about having some freelance writing work, but there’s no way it would pay that much. So I handed her a check for $500, and plan to pay the rest where I can. I got some of it in cash, so I’ll sneak a few bills into her purse. And I’ll probably pick up the next grocery run, and just use cash instead of the shared credit card. Yeah, I think that’ll work.
Mom seemed happy when I gave her the check, though. I said it was for rent, and she told me that I didn’t have to pay it. But then I said that I wanted to, since I’ve already been here longer than I expected, and I appreciate having a place to stay. She gave me a huge hug, and when she pulled back, I could see tears in her eyes. So I think it was a win. I mumbled something about the money being from my freelance writing gig, and she didn’t ask me any more about that, which was a relief. I didn’t want to have to make up any more lies; I’ve got enough of those already.
Speaking of lies, Mom had a hiking date with her robot boyfriend today. Which was a plus for me, because it meant I’d have some quality time on the couch. I was looking forward to watching a few TV shows that Mom doesn’t approve of, mainly those with gunfights, mild torture elements, torrid affairs, and pretty much any modern television. But when Adam came by to pick Mom up, he invited me along, too. I took it as more of a “just to be polite” kind of invitation, but then Mom seemed to get it in her head that I was cooped up inside all the time. So she pretty much insisted that I come, which was kind of awkward, because then Mom and Adam had to wait around while I put on proper hiking attire.
So then we all piled into Adam’s shiny red Tesla (with me in the backseat, naturally). It was a nice car, and honestly, I’m not sure how they pulled off the whole driving illusion. It seemed pretty convincing, but I was sure that there must’ve been some trick to it. Like maybe it was a self-driving car, and Adam was just pantomiming. Anyway, I doubt Boople is allowed to let experimental robots drive, even if they could somehow procure the proper permits, whatever those might be. His driving was pretty convincing though, and Mom didn’t seem to notice, at least.
We finally arrived at Torrey Pines, which is basically a hilly hiking area overlooking the ocean. Adam insisted on paying the entrance fee (a Mom-approved move), and then we parked up near the top of the hill. We hiked a series of short trails, but it wasn’t a particularly strenuous walk. It was a bit chilly, but it felt nice after we’d been walking, and we took the obligatory photo breaks at the scenic overlooks. I have to give Mom credit – she chose a beautiful area to live in. The vegetation was a bit scrubby but the view was still quite pretty, especially when you could see the ocean.
It was kind of strange getting to know Adam a bit better, too, especially knowing that he’s a robot. On one hand, he looks and moves and sounds like a human, so you can almost forget that he’s not. But then he’ll go and say something completely ridiculous, and I’m like “dear god, he’s going to give it away any moment now.” Like when Mom told him how she found a good recipe for matcha marshmallows, he told her he was proud of her. Seriously. PROUD of her. Just like I put in the application. The guy’s seen her a handful of times and suddenly he’s proud of her? That’s a little weird, you know?
And then when I told him how I was a writer, he started talking to me about the hero’s journey and was quoting lines directly from Joseph Campbell’s book. I couldn’t get past the first five pages of that book,
even when I wanted to. But to have someone memorize entire portions…it’s a little strange. Mom didn’t seem to notice, at least. After Adam left, she even said something about how smart he was. To be fair, he probably seems like a perfectly pleasant conversationalist. It’s just weird, you know, since he’s a robot. I know people memorize things all the time, but it’s usually phone numbers or lines for a play or something. To memorize passages in a non-fiction book, just because he can, that seems a little excessive. Hell, he might even be looking it up on the internet, for all I know. Since he’s a robot, he can probably access the internet whenever he wants. Feels like cheating, you know? The rest of us have to settle for being mere mortals, and this guy can magically download all the information about any subject, and talk circles around us if he wanted to. Maybe I should give him credit for showing such restraint, and asking me questions instead of just lecturing me on Greek tragedies or whatever.
Mom seems pretty smitten with him, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. They designed him better than I expected, and he’s quite the gentleman. He keeps asking her questions like, “What do you recommend?” and “How are you feeling?” and “What would you like to do?” I know he’s handsome and stuff, but he feels like a bit of a pushover. Like he’s perfectly happy to do whatever it is she wants to do, and doesn’t ever seem to disagree with anyone. It’s a good thing Mom hasn’t caught on yet; her head has been in the clouds all week so that might have something to do with it. I just wonder what plans Boople has in store for this. It’s not like it can turn into a long-term relationship. I really hope they find a way to gracefully break this thing off, because I’m starting to think that it might be better if Mom never knows about the whole “robot” thing, and they just “grow apart.”
In other news, I decided to try a spinning class at one of those trendy places where they have fancy lights and stuff. Lisa had been to a similar studio in San Francisco and recommended it, so I thought it would be fun to check it out. Boy, was I wrong. I got there and told them I was new, and the girl at the desk rattled off her introductory spiel at breakneck speed. And then I was left to awkwardly waddle around in the provided clip-in shoes, and wait for the class before us to get out. When it finally did, I had to flag someone down to help me adjust the bike and even after that, the seat was still pressing really uncomfortably into my lady bits.
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