life_preserver tender_square i was hanging off the edge of a boat, hugging fiberglass as the speed of knots miraculously kept me from crashing into waves of concrete. my mother and younger sister were nearby wearing life jackets, their demeanor stressed and pained though far more relaxed than mine. at one point the boat slowed or stopped and i released my grip on the gunwale, slipping into the water and stroking for shore. i tried to convince myself that i could swim the length of the detroit river without foam to keep me afloat. then, i thought better of it—i would need all the support i could get, i would need the embrace of protective vinyl, stuffed with love, to carry me across that shipping channel and deliver me safely. 220125 what's it to you? who go blather from