The Two Kinds of Decay

Calendars

My mother keeps her monthly desk calendars. They’re compact: one month per page, one square per day, two inches by two inches. Once in the 1980s I saw her take down a few from the 1970s, from her closet shelf, and look through them.

I called her today, in 2006, to ask if she’d send me her calendars from 1995 and 1996, but she’s thrown all the old calendars away. Last month she did it.

Why should I save them? I’m never going to be famous! she said.