But it Was Illusory

Roll reversal.  Coffee brought to me in bed.  That works.  I read this book, late into the night and I want lie around, Sunday morning and read it some more.  This will be my guilty pleasure this weekend.  Others are stirring about but I want to lie here at get past the second collection of photo plates in this text.  The chapter ends at page three hundred and ten.  I’ve decided I will get there.  Later I’m up, at my desk, in the day’s main lane.  Obligations on my to-do list are being retired one after another.  The list is within an hour’s reach of retiring.  A call.  “Don’t forget the English class you are supposed to teach in thirty minutes.”  “Huh?  Oh.  But.  Right.  Really?  I see.  Well, sure.  I’ll be ready.”

I stare sadly at the day’s list.  It feels within reach of retiring.  I need a theme for this class.  I need something to talk about.  Driving over I decide we’ll discuss the variation on a winter’s theme.  New York just had a blizzard.  (You’d think one thousand people had spontaneously combusted somewhere rather than a million commuters inconvenienced, given the amount of real estate the New York Times devotes to the storm on the front page.)  OK.  Today’s class will be about New York City, where I just returned from. 

“Borough”, “The Bronx, “Grand Central Station”  “Central Park”  (We like that ‘middle’ word almost as much as China.)  We read a story that takes place near the City and talked about my visit over and mentioned the blizzard and what it meant to shovel a driveway.  The place next door has coffee and I had someone bring me a double espresso.  Someone opens the door and the fierce cold blows in through the room for a moment.  Cold, but at least it is clear out there today.  Before we finish I pull a framed, areal map of New York City that is on the all and review with the kids where each of the places we mentioned is located. 

The tyrannical to-do list is complete now, but it was illusory.  There were other things to add to it.  You forgot this.  You must do that.  Dinner needs to be made if people aren’t’ going to get grouchy.  I’m on it.  Veggie burgers have been requested.  Chop the mushrooms, chop the onions.  Pop a can of lentils.  I still don't know how to make them so they hold together flaky on the outside, just-so on the inside.  Add eggs.  Add bread crumbs and olive oil.  The chicken, pepper stir fry came off a bit more palatably.  My older daughter eats four of the five, veggie burgers.  She says they tasted “good.”  This is, certainly high praise.  I add mustard and ketchup to mine and share half with my wife.