29 June 2011 3 Comments

If I Had Only One Wish…

On June 29, 2008, at 3:29 p.m., while I strolled through Barnes & Noble, a Red Hot Chili Peppers CD caught my eye. I picked it up and examined it as “Phyllis Geichman” popped up on my phone’s screen. I sighed. Mom wanted to talk. I was busy trying to find a gift for a […]

5 May 2011 4 Comments

Indelible Marks

My mother and I disagreed about everything. Religion. Politics. Women’s roles. Parenting. Fashion. Even cornbread. We spoke on the phone barely once a month and saw each other even more infrequently. Holidays, that was about it. Somehow, we stiffened our spines and got through them. Still, on July 3, 2008, when Dad told me Mom […]