To put joking aside, I have been trying to make a sort of quilt pattern to add to one of my sweatshirts, but I’m not good at sewing and don’t have a sewing machine. So I would probably listen to her talk about quilts and how to make the edges look good.

Your mom.

“Welcome! What brings you to the homeless shelter today?”

“Well, it’s that bench. You see, I was choosing the unhoused lifestyle, and I was fine with all the other stigma and physical discomforts, until I realized that the city wants to discourage my presence in public spaces. Fuck these armrests, I decided I’d just come to this shelter, get treatment for my addiction, get counseling for my traumatic past that fed the addiction, get an education, get a job, rent a house, save money, then buy a home instead. It’s just not worth trying to get comfy on that bench.”