Open Drawers

Everything in our St George house was tiny except the refrigerator.

It was obviously a more recent addition to the house.

I filled the dishwasher with the door barely cracked open because it would catch on the protruding fridge.

It was a great spot to leave notes though.

I had a piece of paper ripped from a favorite notebook posted to the fridge with a magnet.

It said,

“Things I love about Jake,”

and I added to it often.

For him, but mostly for me.

To keep track.

And to see.

And to remember.

And the list got long.

A few weeks ago Jake went on a motorcycle trip with his dad.

We barely crossed paths before he left.

I headed to work early in the morning and he left before I came home.

He tried to stop by on his way out of town, but I was teaching a class.

Our timing was just off.

It didn’t match up all day.

I headed home missing him.

When I got home I hugged Hank and walked to my room.

With my heels in one hand and Hank’s hand in the other, I opened the door.

And I laughed out loud.

Jake had opened every drawer.

Jake has a routine. I can tell because of the trail he leaves.

He leaves the shower door open,

followed by the top drawer in his side of the closet where he grabs his clothes.

Next I find at least the first, and usually the third, vanity drawers ajar where he gets out his toothbrush, toothpaste, and Suavecito.

Finally, his bedside table drawer is open to track down his keys or wallet or a phone charger.

When I come home from school I follow his trail,

visualize his steps,

because the evidence is there.

I shut the drawers so he can leave them open tomorrow.

It’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

One thing I love about him.

And a few weeks ago, I told him so.

So when I opened our door, I found that he had left lots of him to love.

Every bathroom drawer, closet drawer, desk drawer, and bedside table drawer stood wide open.

Not just his.

Mine too.

Every drawer was open.

I took pictures before closing each one.

I laughed.

And I missed him.

He makes me happy.