A personal essay by Nina Anderson
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be exactly like my mom.
It was 6pm, closing time. It was already dark because that’s how life goes when it’s winter in Minnesota. Donna had left for the day so I needed to lock up the shop. I looked out the front window and saw Mom waiting in the Ford Focus. Right on time. I slipped on my coat, hat, gloves, scarf, and flicked off all the light switches. Mom crochets these beautiful mittens and matching scarves out of wool that keep us nice and warm.
The bells twinkled against the door as it shut behind me. The lock on the door requires some practice and often the patience of Job. The key is really small, so I had to expose my hands to the frigid air for a minute. You have to turn they key quickly and hold the door in exactly the right spot for the bolt to slide into place.
