Friends, coming to my home.

I prepare days ahead,

My innate and insuppressible organizational skills

Elbowing one another for priority.

One friend told me she cleaned her windows a month ago.

Mine are still winter dirty—

Or were.

I took care of them on Monday.

Another told me of a book she read recently,

And I remember the book on plant intelligence that I’d like to discuss with her—

If I finish reading it.

Did that on Tuesday.

So then to the menu.

I began planning it on Monday

As the windows were drying.

I shopped on Tuesday,

So prep began today.

Then I remembered to ask them about their heat tolerances.

So with beans on the stove and chiles in my hands,

I texted them.

In came the numbers:

1 out of 10.

2.5 out of 10.

I can’t work within these restrictions.

Friends, who needs ’em?