Emily’s mother had unusually large eyes that bulged slightly and often turned red, and she stared at people in restaurants and stores. Sometimes Emily’s mother commented on these people’s conversations, or laughed at their jokes, as if she were part of their group. When they turned and gave Emily’s mother a look to remind her that she was not part of the group, Emily’s throat would tighten and she would have to pinch her arm hard to keep from hitting her mother.

While still a young man, my uncle was mistaken for a husband by my mother’s sister, whom he married in order to have the experience of being tied down. He moved to California not long after and reappeared in midsummer in a purple VW van. My aunt kissed him and introduced him to his son. My uncle’s white blond hair was tangled and his arms and legs were too long, like a teenager’s.

When my mom got Alzheimer’s people started saying the darndest things