In Pieces

Dad loves jigsaw puzzles. He always has one set up on a large sheet of plywood under his bed, working on it in the evenings after our bedtime. He leaves the finished puzzle for us to find in the morning.

Since the remarriage, his new wife resents the time he devotes to puzzles—there are more important things he should be doing. Eventually he stops altogether.

the last piece
doesn’t fit the hole
stoking the stove

After retirement, they spend their summer months at the cottage. Ironically, my stepmother has begun doing jigsaw puzzles to while away some evenings. Impatient and not terribly observant, she isn’t very good; an hour can pass without her placing a single piece.

Dad shows no interest. But every now and then, on his way back from getting a cup of coffee, he’ll stop, stand for a minute or two sipping his coffee, place three or four pieces, and continue to his chair.