Domingo

Sunday morning.

Downstairs, the washer is running. It partially masks the occasional burst of sound from my mother's living room, where she is watching yet another religious program. All Mass, All The Time is what I call her television fare. I know that its customary for older people to be fascinated with religion, and my mother's always been one of The Faithful. She gets about twenty to thirty letters each month from various religion-oriented organizations, from ones I recognize to Father Bobs Home For Unwed Angolan Refugees and Music Camp. I am particularly exercised by one that my mother gets where every single envelope is marked Urgent! At least she now accepts that when they send some trinket, or enclose a bright shiny nickel, she can keep them without having to send them money. She doesn't give money to most of them, actually, but apparently you only need to do it once to get on their list for many years. I used to think that when the time came I would at least be able to buy a rubber stamp that said DECEASED; RETURN TO SENDER, then it occurred to me that this would simply mean that in addition to this stuff, I would begin to get letters offering various religion-based incentives to enshrine her memory. The enshrining part would be okay; the sending money, not. I don't tend to give money to organizations more than once or twice; most get the hint, some -- like Doctors Without Borders -- seem to believe in Give Once, Get Mail Forever.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day, which means two things without fail: the president of these united states will get to make a speech which he may or may not garble, sounding like a pompous jackass while sweating to push the message that the only way to recognize the sacrifice of those who have died is to send more to die in the defense of a country that doesn't particularly want us there. (He likely won't mention that last part.) And cartoons will have a saccharine moment of humbleness before getting back to badly drawn and plotted humor.

In a while we'll have breakfast. I wonder if I'll be able to chew any of it?