We made a backpack for Jimmy, and strapped it on him. It was January, and there was no snow. We were in Texas. The ice in the trees was melting. Eva wore too much makeup.
I called our insurance agent to see if we were covered, and we were. The Explorer was running. Jimmy was cold, the dog was in the backyard, and Eva had her own ideas.
The earth was still rotating slow enough for us not to fall off. Things were okay. Much later, on the side of the road, in the dark, I realized that I left my shampoo at home. The radio was on. It was January 18, 2003, and I was about to start walking.
Headlights passed by, and Jimmy was curled up with his mother, looking at her fingernails. Eva had her other hand in his backpack, digging for a flashlight or some gummy worms. It was cold. The dog was in the passenger seat. I made a sign with my hands that was like ‘stay right there, and don’t go anywhere.’