My Son Started Packing My Barbecue Into Takeout Boxes

out of line.”

“Was I.”

“Yes. You could’ve handled that differently.”

I looked at the sink. At one fork somebody had missed.

“You keep saying that. Different how, Michael? Walk me through it.”

Silence.

I waited.

Finally he said, “You know Ashley’s mom is sensitive.”

I almost put the phone down.

Instead I said, “Diane called me poor in my own backyard.”

“She didn’t continue reading …