2001-08-29-10:00 p.m.

It was raining yesterday morning when Stan and Megan opened the door to walk out to the truck. We all stood there for a minute like deer staring at headlights trying to figure out what was falling from the sky.

"You'll need a raincoat. Do you want mine?" I asked Megan.

"No, it's too small. I've tried it on before."

"Well, look," I said, opening the closet. "MeMe left hers here a long time ago. You want to wear it?"

She tries it on and we try to remember what occasion it had been when MeMe was here and left her raincoat. Maybe her birthday. Momma and Daddy were on vacation during her last few birthdays and we had her over for dinner. Yes, it was probably her birthday.

"It fits you. Does it smell like her?"

We all smell the raincoat. It smells like a... raincoat, no lingering scent of the knock-off of Giorgio or whatever it was that she used to wear, I can't remember exactly, and I am disappointed. But there is a paper towel folded neatly in one pocket.

Megan wears the raincoat. When she gets home I ask her if she remembered to bring it home and she tells me that she didn't wear it into the school, she left it in the truck so she wouldn't forget it. I'm proud of her. Not for keeping track of the raincoat, but for caring.

Later in the day I look at the calendar and I think, isn't that odd, today is MeMe's birthday.

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