Just A Glimpse

The phone just rang and I considered smashing it. Instead I said, Newtown Bee…

A woman spoke and each word came with difficulty. I strained to understand. She made the phone call for her mother, who did not recall a bill they received from our newspaper.

I imagined an adult child with a disability who lived at home with a mom who probably needed her. I wanted to give her everything I had. I wanted her speech — just for a moment — to flow with beautiful sounds from lips shaped like cherry candy, sharing thoughts and laughter that came without effort.

I wished too, as I replaced the phone, that I could make their bill go away and their lives easier.