First published (in print) by Nixes Mate Review, 26/27, Winter/Spring 2023
Read it in The Argyle Literary Magazine
Melt
The ice cream sandwiches are melting on the car floor in the inferno of my frustration triggered by my mother’s request, more like a demand, that I return the sandwiches to the store because, after devouring half the delicious treats, she realized the image on the box exaggerated their actual size. Deception of this type justifies coercing me to drive by her place on a Saturday morning as if I’ve got nothing better to do than pick up the ice cream, suffer for a glacial age in punishing traffic, then twiddle my thumbs in the long customer service line at save-money-live-better Walmart.