I pull into the driveway and what do I see? I see my father has forgotten to put some Halloween decorations away and my mother hasn’t begun putting out the Thanksgiving ones. After putting a rotting Jack-O-Lantern in the garbage, I head inside to hear the usual fight my parents get into around this time of year. It’s the same every year. They don’t even realize I’m home.
“Get off your lazy ass and help me out!” my mother yells.
My father sitting in his recliner watching football retorts, “Can you wait until half time?”
“No! You do this every year! It’s your mother that used to come over before she died. You told Karen she could invite Josh and his family!” I don’t have to see to know my mom is standing in front of the television with my dad struggling to see around her but failing.
“Okay, okay. I’ll help,” my dad surrenders with a sigh.
“Then get up. Now!” she yells turning the TV off.
“What did you do that for? I could clean the living room and still watch the game!”
I decide, since they still have yet to notice I’ve arrived, to open the door and close it loudly. “I’m home!” I call.