Katherine Nicolai

I suspected none of them were real gems. They were probably polished glass, what they used to call paste, but they were precious to me. I was careful with what Grandma had passed to me, but I wasn't afraid to wear her brooch. I had her china, too, and used it nearly every day.

I suspected none of them were real gems. They were probably polished glass, what they used to call paste, but they were precious to me. I was careful with what Grandma had passed to me, but I wasn't afraid to wear her brooch. I had her china, too, and used it nearly every day.

I suspected none of them were real gems. They were probably polished glass, what they used to call paste, but they were precious to me. I was careful with what Grandma had passed to me, but I wasn't afraid to wear her brooch. I had her china, too, and used it nearly every day.

Once, when we'd been drying dishes in her kitchen, and a slippery plate had slid out of my hands to crash into a million pieces on the black and white tiles of her floor, I turned a teary face up to her, and she caught my chin in her hand and kissed the tip of my nose, saying, Baby, it's a thing, not a person. It had made me feel so unashamed and immediately realigned with what actually mattered.

Once, when we'd been drying dishes in her kitchen, and a slippery plate had slid out of my hands to crash into a million pieces on the black and white tiles of her floor, I turned a teary face up to her, and she caught my chin in her hand and kissed the tip of my nose, saying, Baby, it's a thing, not a person. It had made me feel so unashamed and immediately realigned with what actually mattered.

Once, when we'd been drying dishes in her kitchen, and a slippery plate had slid out of my hands to crash into a million pieces on the black and white tiles of her floor, I turned a teary face up to her, and she caught my chin in her hand and kissed the tip of my nose, saying, Baby, it's a thing, not a person. It had made me feel so unashamed and immediately realigned with what actually mattered.

To this day, when something breaks, I stop and ask myself, is it a thing or a person? And like her, I can usually laugh instead of cry. I pinned her ladybug onto the lapel of my jacket today as I'd gotten ready to go out the door just feeling the need to have her around me.

To this day, when something breaks, I stop and ask myself, is it a thing or a person? And like her, I can usually laugh instead of cry. I pinned her ladybug onto the lapel of my jacket today as I'd gotten ready to go out the door just feeling the need to have her around me.

To this day, when something breaks, I stop and ask myself, is it a thing or a person? And like her, I can usually laugh instead of cry. I pinned her ladybug onto the lapel of my jacket today as I'd gotten ready to go out the door just feeling the need to have her around me.

When I stepped out of my apartment and into the narrow alleys of the oldest part of downtown, I stopped to look up at the way the spring sunlight shone on the tops of the buildings. Autumn sun is brassy in the best possible way, but spring sunlight is bright gold, and I was happy to need my sunglasses as I walked.

When I stepped out of my apartment and into the narrow alleys of the oldest part of downtown, I stopped to look up at the way the spring sunlight shone on the tops of the buildings. Autumn sun is brassy in the best possible way, but spring sunlight is bright gold, and I was happy to need my sunglasses as I walked.

When I stepped out of my apartment and into the narrow alleys of the oldest part of downtown, I stopped to look up at the way the spring sunlight shone on the tops of the buildings. Autumn sun is brassy in the best possible way, but spring sunlight is bright gold, and I was happy to need my sunglasses as I walked.

At the corner shop, I stopped to buy a newspaper and a lemon muffin dotted with poppy seeds to tuck into my bag for later. The man who ran the shop had been sweeping the front step when I came in, and his grandson stood proudly behind the counter, his chin just clearing the stacks of newspapers. He added up my purchases, and with a serious face, told me how much it would be

At the corner shop, I stopped to buy a newspaper and a lemon muffin dotted with poppy seeds to tuck into my bag for later. The man who ran the shop had been sweeping the front step when I came in, and his grandson stood proudly behind the counter, his chin just clearing the stacks of newspapers. He added up my purchases, and with a serious face, told me how much it would be

At the corner shop, I stopped to buy a newspaper and a lemon muffin dotted with poppy seeds to tuck into my bag for later. The man who ran the shop had been sweeping the front step when I came in, and his grandson stood proudly behind the counter, his chin just clearing the stacks of newspapers. He added up my purchases, and with a serious face, told me how much it would be

His grandfather smiled down at his broom as he swept. I handed over the money and waited while the change was counted back. I thanked the little boy and resisted the urge to wink or make a joke. I remembered how important it was. when you were young and trying to seem grown up, that you were taken seriously. We shouldn't forget what being young feels like, even when we are young no longer.

His grandfather smiled down at his broom as he swept. I handed over the money and waited while the change was counted back. I thanked the little boy and resisted the urge to wink or make a joke. I remembered how important it was. when you were young and trying to seem grown up, that you were taken seriously. We shouldn't forget what being young feels like, even when we are young no longer.

His grandfather smiled down at his broom as he swept. I handed over the money and waited while the change was counted back. I thanked the little boy and resisted the urge to wink or make a joke. I remembered how important it was. when you were young and trying to seem grown up, that you were taken seriously. We shouldn't forget what being young feels like, even when we are young no longer.

On the street again, with Grandma's ladybug on my shoulder and the golden spring light making me squint, I headed for the park. The geese would be back, honking their news and splashing cold lake water around their long black necks. I would find a bench, take my muffin from my bag, open my paper, and look for things to laugh about. Sweet dreams.

On the street again, with Grandma's ladybug on my shoulder and the golden spring light making me squint, I headed for the park. The geese would be back, honking their news and splashing cold lake water around their long black necks. I would find a bench, take my muffin from my bag, open my paper, and look for things to laugh about. Sweet dreams.