furnishings tender_square we hadn't been to the apartment in three weeks, the three of us. there was a hope that more belongings would be packed, more items done away with as amanda's mom prepares to go from a two bedroom apartment down to a one. the unit was untouched, a museum of boxes and disarray. possession of the new apartment down the street was gained a few days ago. amanda's mom wanted us to move the bathroom toiletries, the linens, the kitchen stuff, while she waits for the movers to come three weeks from now. there was five of us helping, amanda and her husband, me, and her husband's parents. we took about fifteen boxes down three flights of stairs, drove a couple blocks, unloaded into a service elevator using a shopping cart and muscle. amanda's mom is moving from 307 in her old apartment to 307 in her new apartment. which makes sense because nothing has fucking changed. amanda's mother-in-law penny said that while amanda was out of town for work, amanda's mom had reached to penny for help getting furniture found at the thrift shop to the new place. amanda's mom already has too much stuff. and instead of packing she's been visiting the second-hand stores and finding the hundreds of bags of stuff we donated full of shoes and coats and clothes with the tags still on. we arrived at the new apartment to unpack the kitchen boxes. there was so many pots and pans for a woman who never cooks. there was a juicer and a pretzel baking tin and cake dishes with pricing stickers. there was the huge new microwave that was bought because the one back at the old apartment was "stained." in the bedroom, there were three new pieces of furniture: two dressers and an end table, along with a sconce and some kind of sculpture of a face. we guessed that the money amanda's sister sent to help with moving costs was blown on things that were unnecessary. the five of us were furious as her mother sat at the kitchen table and watched us unpack, silently seething. amanda filled the bathroom counter with cat figurines. i stocked the linen closet with more brand new tea towels and face cloths than a hotel needs, let alone a single person. 230506 what's it to you? who go blather from