Howard Gets The Bumps

Howard was visiting his mother on that Sunday. It was Mother’s Day. Why wouldn’t he? His mother was in cognitive decline and he felt lucky that she was doing as well she was and still living on her own. That she still remembered his name was still a comfort. He was also lucky to have a friend in the city he was in, one he liked talking to, one who quite often sensed things during a phone conversation that gave Howard the creepy shivers. During this one conversation Howard was standing at his mother’s bedroom window, looking out at the budding elm and scratching at his arm while listening to his friend when he felt some raised welts on his right forearm. His friend paused and asked, “What just happened?” “Something happened” “Tell me”. “Nothing, moms talking in the other room”. This was true and Howard didn’t really think about his friends realization at the time. He went back to the kitchen where he was told for the seventh time that his coffee was getting cold. God love her.