Joe Ohio 1957

Slipping

James Lileks

Jun 23, 2026

∙ Paid

37

1

“How is she?” Joe asked.

“Some days, it’s . . . well it’s worse.”

He nodded and sipped his coffee. He was sitting in the kitchen of his mother’s neighbor. Mrs. Iderson, that’s how he’d always known her; she’d always been next door. Had two kids, one of whom was Joe’s age, and he’d spent a few birthday parties in this kitchen, waiting for cake, wearing a p…