when i was a child i was fascinated by the ads in newspapers, the small one inch ads for st jude, for novenas said, the ads printed over and over again for eternity, as thanks for prayers answered. i always wondered what sorts of things people were praying for, what they were like. women with thin sweaters and thick soled shoes, with buns, eating leftovers warmed up not quite hot, praying in lonely apartments. women praying over trashcans for the line to disappear on the pregnancy test, for some reason i always pictured women praying, never men.

this from the same girl who had a sleeveless muscle tshirt of desperately seeking susan, the ad circled with red lipstick. the shirt that was too embarassing to wear before i even put it on.