When I answered the phone, I heard my mother sigh.
"Soon, it will be another year."
"You mean, another birthday?"
"What kind of future do I have?"
"In truth, Mom, you've been saying that for years. Many years. Since before you turned 100 and here you are only a month away from 106. Amazing."
"For you maybe amazing . . . For me, too much." As she has recently, she sounded breathless.
"I admit, I've thought about that too. After all . . ."
"I have no time for after-alls."
"So, what's on your mind?" I wanted to distract her from thinking about aging and the inevitable.