If This Was Their Last Day

“People seem much more likely to help when they think you’re about to fall over.”  My mother doesn’t bat an eyelash as she says this, just takes another bite of the carrot she’s eating and keeps talking. “Falling over” is her Rita-way of saying “kick the bucket” or “bite the dust.” Death and dying are only acknowledged in the cheekiest of terms. No solemnity here. Reminds me of the way Dad told us his cancer was end-stage. “The cancer has...