Eighteen Years After Ray Abandoned Him on a Dirt Road, Thomas Found His Mother’s Letter

Diane had a sandwich waiting on a plate with the crusts already cut off.

“You always ate around the crusts,” she said.

“I remembered that.”

She folded her hands on the edge of the table and waited while I hung my coat over the chair.

“The bank wanted to see me when I turned fourteen,” I said.

“In person.

At the window.

Every year.”