I remember

I remember when journalism was respected.

I remember the feel of a manual typewriter, and how it would jam if you got too excited.

I remember deep shag carpets.

I remember how someone could smile with their eyes.

I remember the insurance salesman who would hand out his business card at the weekend picnic.

I remember celebrating Chinese New Year.

I remember bacon and beans, with cornbread.

I remember Robbie shooting out the window on Grandpa’s mobile home with a crossbow.

I remember Two-Two, the dog that danced with you.

I remember being able to watch TV as much as I wanted.

I remember mowing the lawn with a tractor.

I remember the beaded seat cushions Grandma had in her Volkswagen. I always wondered if she was a Jamaican taxi driver on the side.

I remember Battleship on the Commodore 64.

I remember how big horses were.

I remember the smell of the dump.

I remember the smell of oil.

I remember watching an egg being laid.

I remember Butch, and what a good dog he was. He was infested with ticks, on every square inch of his body. The only way Grandpa knew how to get them off was to paint him with motor oil, and suffocate the ticks. Butch didn’t survive.

I remember playing catch, and how often I missed the ball entirely.

I remember the first time I beat Mom at Scrabble.

I remember restoring the Volkswagen.

I remember hiking to the Colorado River and back the rim of the Grand Canyon in one day.

I remember how many blisters I had the next day.

I remember riding in the back of a car, across the country.

I remember getting lost on the Eiffel Tower.

I remember learning how to drive a stick-shift.

I remember being in charge of the campfire, and how I always let it get too high.

I remember hiking every trail in Yosemite.

I remember my first kiss.

I remember playing video games until the sun came up, and then rushing to bed.

I remember the smell of sex.

I remember my first night getting wasted. I had about 10 shots of vodka within a few hours at a friend's house. We played cards until we couldn't see straight then watched TV for a little while. I drove home and slept it off.

I remember listening to Bon Iver.

I remember Blackberries.

I remember Power Rangers, and how I always wanted to be the Pink one.

I remember learning how to dive.

I remember belly flopping the first few times.

I remember, just out of bed in the morning, red wrinkle designs in your skin.

I remember, when relatives come to visit, sleeping on the couch.


-Grace

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