As long as we're on the subject of grandmas—
maybe mine had a psychic experience
while in psychiatric care at Providence,
after OD-ing again.
We would ask her, my mother and I,
"How was your day?"
and she'd say, "Oh, 611"
and we'd say, "Huh?" and she'd say,
"87" and we'd say,
"Did you like your dinner OK?"
and she'd say, "347"
and it was kind of like talking to the I Ching.
So maybe Grandma was an oracle we'll never crack,
'cause I can't say she ever really spoke to us again.
But you know,
nothing really supernatural has ever happened to me
and I'm kind of disappointed.
No abductors or precognition,
near-death or devils,
no dead or vibrating, electrifying cusp triggering recall in the atmosphere. . . .
And I've been such a buff,
since I was a kid.
Kids, you know,
dream about being superhuman, super-
natural—adults too,
and that goes for adults.
(published in The Expatriate, 1995)
sweet
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