But somehow when I was a child she spent all her days at work without a break. She’s a lawyer, and I can’t remember ever seeing her on weekdays – during the week Pa often stayed at home because he was on day duties, and two days he had a rest. So I remember Pa, but Mom – no.
During week-ends, of course, like any real American family, we gathered round the dining table, prayed, ate, discussed things, but I remember that during these family lunches it was Pa who always led everything, and Mom only smiled.
I can’t tell even now whether she had the quality of brevity, rare in women, or just didn’t want to talk to us – or rather, didn’t see the point or wasn’t interested. Anyway it’s hard for me to understand what united her with Pa – they weren’t just different, but like entirely separate ph
