doing christms cards

it's three p.m. on a Monday.
she has her Christmas music on,

bing, frank, andy, the Mormon tabernacle
choir,

while Harvey
fiddles with the toaster,
having taken the bottom off to try
and fix
a loose wire.

she's a little looped on eggnog
as she sits
at the table doing Christmas cards.

Harvey, Harvey she yells out
to the kitchen

did the mendelson's send us a card
last Christmas? I don't think
they did

ever since Irvin had a stroke
and they moved to florida.

should we send them one anyway?

Harvey comes into the room, with
his screw driver. he's in his pajamas,
glasses on the tip of his
nose.

his comb over is down to a few
dyed strands, just reaching
his wide ears.

sure, why not, he says, unless
we don't have the stamps.
send them one if you want.

he tightens his robe, looks
warily at the dozens of envelopes
on the table, then
goes back to the toaster.