why grams does the dishes

he used to come up behind her at the sink, kiss her neck and surprise her with a grab of the ass. she'd jump, grey bubble cut bobbing around and reaching for a kiss. i watched from the table as a kid, wondering if i'd find that kind of love one day. it seemed my parents missed the point, so when i saw other couples still in love i took notes. he used to slip love notes in her pockets and she'd find them later on that day. when we moved her to my uncle's house last year, i watched her cry as she reread every love note saved in a drawer. many other things went to the estate sale and garage sale and good will. but her reminders of their love staid. he passed away five years ago now, and we wondered how she continued to live, to breathe, to manange without him. she does the dishes.

tonight during thanksgiving in the midst of all my friends, i stood in the kitchen and wondered about grams. i felt so many mixed emotions...i touched my longing for a partner and sighed, rolling up my sleeves. it has been a long time since i had someone to share the holidays with like that. and i have yet to be eighty years old getting goosed in the kitchen. i felt sad, so i made myself useful and cleaned the dished and pots and pans. with each one completed, a part of me realized why grams still does the dishes on every holiday instead of lounging around. a small smile turned my lips up in the corners. happy thanksgiving! i love you grams.