Accidentally Inviting the Dead

When acronyms get confused

Heather Lee
Apr 22, 2024
A gray cassette cartridge sits open waiting for a cassette to be inserted.
Photo taken by Daughter

I climbed into my friend’s truck for a coffee excursion and immediately recognized the song playing on her radio.

“Ohmigosh! That’s George Michael’s song, Freedom! ’90, from his Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 album which came out in 1990!”

“Wow! That was a lot of detail,” said my friend.

“This cassette carried me through my entire senior year of high school,” I replied happily as the truck pulled away from the curb.

Then, to show how much I miss George Michael and his music, I lowered my head, made the sign of the cross, and said, “R.S.V.P. George Michael.”

The truck stopped in the middle of the road.

Silence.

“Is he coming to coffee with us?” my friend asked, tentatively.

“I meant R.I.P! R.I.P!” I loudly defended.

“You’re buying his,” said my friend as she put the truck back into gear.

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Heather Lee
Heather Lee

Written by Heather Lee

One white cane in a sighted world

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