Issue No. 7: 2020 As Told By One of My Nine Pillows

December 31, 2020

Dear Readers,

Please find attached a very short little story.

You might be at your desk or on your phone asking out loud, rhetorically, to no one in particular: "Sarah, why do you have nine pillows?"

Allow me to explain. At the beginning of the year, I lived in a room with a bed that had four pillows assigned to it, which I believe is the ideal number of pillows for a full size bed. Then, I came up on a Queen. Sized bed. Which also needs at least four pillows. For a brief period of time I had a 2-bedroom apartment to myself, with two beds, each of which required 4 pillows because I am not a savage.

I thought I have an extra bedroom! This will be great! I have so much room to host! All of my friends and family from out of town will have a home with me! Oh, the wild naivete that was 2019.

In January of 2020, a friend spent the night and left a pillow behind on accident (Melanie–I have your pillow) and so now I have nine pillows. Ok? Now you have all the details. I anticipated and answered your question.

What's super fucked up, though, is that I sold one of the beds but kept the pillows. Why! Why did I do that? Am I a hoarder if I wonder if I'm a hoarder? My therapist says that if you're really, actually, losing your mind, you won't even notice. You won't doubt yourself, you won't have any suspicions because, well, you're losing your mind. That gives me comfort.

I hope you find some comfort whenever you're reading this, as well. New Years is my favorite because 1. it's totally secular 2. it's in the winter and I am a winter baby and 3. I like champagne.

Jolan tru,,

Sarah