the unlicensed life coach

what have we learned

i ask

my mentor

as she flips through a magazine

in her office.

are you talking to me,

ummm.

yes. i believe so.

i am paying for this session,

aren't i.

oh right right.

i'm your life coach slash mentor

slash therapist/friend.

she puts friend into air quotes.

sorry, go ahead, you said something

about your mother.

a dream you had, yadda yadda.

isn't she dead now, why

are you still thinking about her?

i shake my head.

it's not important.

i think i need new hobby,

i tell her.

she puts her finger to her chin,

looks at her nails,

then takes some polish

out of her enormous purse.

i like that idea.

maybe arts and crafts?

do you like to sew, or do

origami?

what are you talking about?

no.

oh, well. i don't know what else

you could do.

you know. i'm not getting

a lot out of these talks

anymore, i tell her.

ditto, she says, dabbing

little blobs

of purple nail polish onto

her nails.

do you like the color? kind

of has that Halloween flavor.

don't cha think?