stranger simply wanted to know what I wanted.
“Chicken noodle soup,” I said. “And grilled cheese.”
“Fries?”
I considered it.
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“You got it.”
Nobody held a vote.
Nobody complained or sighed.
Nobody reminded me that another family member preferred their potatoes prepared differently.
I placed my phone facedown on the table.
It vibrated.
My salary had been deposited.
I opened my banking application.
The amount appeared on the screen.
Previously, payday had felt like watching water flow into six separate drains.
Now my finances followed an organized
