First classroom. I’m a young twenty-something, newly hired teaching assistant at Pomona Middle School. Our teacher presents the class assignment. A few moments later, a pleasantly plump 8th grader looks at me and asks, “What to do?” as though it never happened cuckoo cry Next classroom. The fire-rated door of room 452B closes. Fifteen quiet,…

You would have turned 86 years old today, Mom. Probably would have celebrated with another covert Marlboro on the bench outside your door. Or sipped another red wine while seated at your monstrosity of a wall-unit desk, doing your “stuff.” A lifetime away from the day I emptied the old house of all of your…