Superstitions

The drive to the mountains takes about two hours. If, during the course of the drive, antelope are spotted along the way, someone in the car will pipe up and say, "Look. Antelope. It's going to be a good trip." Why? Well, there is absolutely no reason for this. It's our own superstition. We made it up. But we also believe it.

This trip? We spotted soooo many antelope. Surely it should have been the best trip ever.

Yet, I was sick. I lost my voice. And until I lost my voice, I had no idea how much I liked to talk. I managed to communicate in squeaks and told my SP that it would be great if we both knew how to sign until I got my voice back. He told me he only knew one sign, and proceeded to show me his middle finger. Clearly, since that is a whole conversation in and of itself, nothing else needed to be said.

While my words were powerless, others were using powerful words. The bickering, the snide comments. Me, in between two people I love most in this world. It was cold inside our condo.

Mel Bochner

It wasn't just cold inside. Snow flurries rode in on dark and menacing clouds. The warmth of the sun was obliterated. We dared to picnic. We dared to hike. We still skipped rocks on the lake. But Mother Nature was not pleased. She sent her wind to slam shut the car door. With the car keys locked inside.

What about the antelopes we saw?

And then, it happened. The SP was reading out loud. I lay down on the floor to listen. My littlest pea lay down next to me, and I wrapped myself around her. Moments later. My mom? She lay down on the floor. And she wrapped herself around me.

Janet Morton

Antelope. Lots and lots of antelope.