Responsibilities

“I don’t want to forgive her I don’t want to forget. I want to wallow in bitterness toward her.”

W hen she first got married she used to answer the phone right away. There was a thrill and sense of maturity that someone was calling her — on her own landline in her own home. The shrill ring of the phone told her she had her own place and room to be herself. The novelty wore off after a while and the phone was no longer a symbolic light of independence.

These days the phone’s ring took on a more serious note. Her responsibilities always seemed to come in the form of a phone call.

“Mrs. Landau your kid just threw up. Please come pick him up.”

“Honey can you fill up the car? I’m gonna be home late today and I need to run out right after to make it to the chuppah so I’m not gonna have time…”