The Bird’s stories said something entirely different. They said, “Don’t lose yourself, because I still know who you are.” They said, “You are weak right now, so weak that you need to hear about how marvelous I’ve known you to be since you were born; how unconditionally and attentively I’ve loved you since you got here; how I’ve had your back since day one, saw a truth teller where everyone else saw a little smart-ass. You were the toughest to give birth to, the toughest to raise, even tougher than your pothead brother. Yet I went to bat for you against everyone and everything, even when I
...more
