“Mom and I decided to buy a condo here in Tucson,” I said, sitting across the table from our kids at the vacation rental.
Katina glanced up from her phone; “Why? What happened to ‘keeping things simple’?”
“Right, well, after our trip here, Mom and I agreed we really enjoyed the Southwest.”
“Jesus, take it easy,” said Katina; “You won’t be empty nesters for, like, four years.”
Daniel, forking Fruit Loops in a teacup, said, “This is far from home, but it does seem like a good place to retire, if that’s what you mean.”
“Well, sort of,” said Mom.
“It’s flat with sidewalks, so you won’t hurt yourselves. There’s a pharmacy on every corner in case you need to fill a prescription or get another pair of wraparound sunglasses,” said Daniel; “It’s like heaven’s waiting room.”
“Thanks for your input, Son,” I said.
“Sure thing, Dad,” said Daniel. “Of course, you won’t know anyone and may feel like aliens for a while, but I still vote yes.”
Mom sipped her coffee and turned to me, “Too late to get our deposit back?”
Brooks C. Mendell writes and works in forestry. His stories have appeared in venues such as Apple in the Dark, Maudlin House, and The RavensPerch. www.brooksmendell.com
