Listening

She hates the messages

that imply "I am only your friend

if I can tell you all my ailments

and I won't listen to yours."

She says, one more text to ask 

how I am so she can be sicker, 

more tired, have more problems, 

and I will tell her, I swear I will tell her.

I say, do you know you be-friended

your mother? She laughs and changes 

the subject. After that, we talk about 

her new job and how she is coping with 

adjusting to very normal surroundings. 

She talks about her leg that seemingly 

lost muscle strength, and then decided 

in the same breath, "it must be from the 

antibiotic I'm taking for my infection."

Then more on the infection, ending

with what groceries she will buy.

I had my turn, began to tell her about 

my teenage daughter's emotional 

reaction to social injustice in school. 

It was very, very quiet on the other end.