You’re retired. You can do anything you want.

She couldn’t help thinking of her dad who withered and died when he retired.

TROUBLESHOOTING IN PARADISE BY PG SMITH 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 112

Here she sat. Doris Carmichael sat at the table glaring at the Chippendale sideboard wondering what was left of her life. “I d-don’t know w-w-what to do, Frank.”

“You’re retired!” Frank said. “You can do anything you want.”

“I know.”

“What’s wrong with you, Dorrie? It seemed like you were adjusting so well.”

“I know.”

She picked up the dinner plates and limped to the kitchen. “W-w-want s-s-some pie? I g-g-got you an apple pie.”

She couldn’t help thinking of her dad who withered and died when he retired. Such a great lawyer. Everyone told her she took after her dad. She had his sense of humor, his gift of argument, his facility with the law. She was the one who who kept the firm on track. But she hadn’t expected to have a stroke just like he did 20 years ago.

“I know you l-l-like apple p-pie,” she said.

“Thanks, Dorrie. Pie is perfect. Listen, yo…