Spoiled Milk
January 3rd, 20088:00 o’clock in the evening. Forgotten to eat. Look into the frig. The milk looks odd. Not sure why.
Cream colored clumps at the top of the clear plastic bottle. Don’t know.
2 eggs left. Boiling water, not a good idea. Pot is heavy. Spills and burns.
Too tired to scramble.
Too dark at night, too cold, too difficult to plan ahead. No extra money for a pizza. Box too heavy. Delivery person not like putting it on table. Unhappy, no money for a well deserved tip. What to do with the 7 other pieces?
Cereal. Don’t know about the milk. Water from the tap and Cheerios for dinner.
Losing weight.
In a large brightly lit room, warm faces fuss. Despite a lunch-time meal, look thin.
Correct.
Concern about the odd looking milk. Relief. An explanation. Don’t drink it.
A warm unknown friend comes to look at the refrigerator. Sees it empty.
A plan. A person to help.
Who would know if not for that brightly lit, welcoming, warm place. A Senior Center. Enough time to see the difference, how thin. Someone seems to know what to do.
Mary Eaton
Newburyport