Mother and I devoted the afternoon to shopping for my new apartment. We had an argument over silverware.

“Let’s just get these,” I said. “They have enough for four people.”
“But what if you want to have more than four people over for dinner?”
“Then I won’t!”

That lasted long enough for someone to “basket-nap” our shopping cart (we didn’t notice until the argument was over).

I bought a lovely set of square glasses, priced a few sets of China, bought new sheets, and a rug for the bathroom (a small one, mother reminded me that NY apartment bathrooms are like closets). When I returned home, I procured one of my glasses and stood in the mirror with it. I suppose in 40 years someone will consider them “retro,” and that depressed me momentarily.