mrs. pemberton
"wrote his name after mine all over my class notes", she said
"just trying it on for size, and conjuring an i-dare-you-to-dream-this-miracle image—
the kind you think up in a split second of opulent glory and then let spill like a pail of sand on the beach. i didn't know that then, though," she said, "it seemed reflective — a natural response..."
(pause)(cough)
"have you noticed that women use their own names or a name of their choice instead of the husband's surname?" she thought to ask right then "Joe Smith and Sally Jones, or Joe and Sally Smith. Sally never signs anything Mrs. S. Smith—it's "Sally Smith" or "Sally Jones Smith" or "Sally Jones"
—uh huh—so which one is the real Sally?" she smirked
"no demand there be just one Sally though" i relayed
"oh really? that's so funny!"
"what's so funny?"
"the idea of Sally with split personalities" she bit the tip of her long red-nailed forefinger.
"oh mrs. pemberton," (pause) i said "you might be right, the maximum # of personalities comfortable to sustain really is 3, but most people have 2"
"i have 1," she snapped back, "i'm mrs. pemberton."
"very cool" i said
