Late winter. Early afternoon. A librarian tries to finish strong, bustling around school on a Monday with no plan time. Her phone and watch seem to be signaling at an alarming rate. She assumes someone has died...or that her sibling/mother chat has ticked up because of the mother's birthday. She continues with her day blissfully ignorant of the actual messages' contents.
Scene
Early evening. She arrives home after volunteering at the district STEM Challenge to teenage sons slurping down Ramen noodles cooked in glass measuring bowls. She's exhausted by the day but happy to be home.
Son 1: Did you get the FASFA done? (looking into his bowl like he might grab the handle and just pour the contents down his throat)
Mother: What? (she hangs her backpack on the hook and removes her coat to hang too)
Son 1: (makes eye contact with Mother) Didn't you get my messages? Dad said you could work on it tonight.
Mother: I have been at school and then straight to the middle school for STEM Challenge. I have not been working on your FASFA.
Son 1: Well, can you? Please?
Mother: I can help. When does it need to be finished?
Son 1: ASAP
Mother: Do you know how to access it?
Son 1: Access what?
Mother: The FASFA. Do you know how you logged in last year? Username? Password? I remember your dad and I couldn't create your account or something. It had to involve you.
Son 1: I don't remember. I have my school login information. That's about all I use.
Mother tries the info Son 1 gives her to login. Username and password are both incorrect. Mother sighs.
Oh dear. Good luck with the FAFSA, once you actually get into it. A sign of spring, for sure, but not one of the fun ones!
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