Pieces

 by Melina/Melinda Heywood
 

The latest package from my mom came yesterday.

It was in a wooden wine case with a bronze clasp, secured with packing tape.  It opened like a briefcase.
 

Inside: a green veil with sequins (some unglued), a necklace – beads – green, a bra – blue and green, straps unfinished.  I have to fit the straps to my ribcage.
 

No other contents, just the scent of Athens, Mom’s apartment, her other costumes, musty perfumes.
 

I have been sending her things in stages as well:  essays downloaded from our website; her articles that I edited and sent to the gilded serpent; money that I collected for Ali’s CDs.   She sends me costumes; I send her paper, words. Pictures too.

Mom is one of my favorite readers, but the subject is herself so she of course likes that.  She doesn’t understand why I don’t just post everything up on the internet.  I want it to be as good as possible first.  She doesn’t care about that kind of perfectionism.  It’s about living now.  She doesn’t wait until the whole costume is finished to send it, she sends it to me one piece at a time, in stages, and some pieces are unfinished.  And I love the pieces, the stages.