Andy Shauf - Living Room

Claire stands beside us, she is ordering a drink, she says hello to us. Charlie says hi and asks about her boy, she says he’s fine and there’s a pause

She says, “It’s funny that you ask, today I had a strange experience
I remembered once when I was a girl my father came home late from work
I'd drawn a picture for him in school that day and I wanted to show him
He said, ‘Go show it to your mother dear.’
But I’d drawn it just for him - just for him

Anyways, today my son came home from school and he had drawn a picture
But I was so tired from work, I told him I would have a look in a little while
I should have hung it on the fridge for him
I mean how hard is it to give a shit?”

Claire walked away and Charlie looked at me with wide eyes, like we had accidentally walked into some stranger's living room