Eternal return

Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

I sit on this toilet, in this half bathroom in my childhood home. Surrounded by the peeling pink-and-white striped wallpaper installed 40 years ago by a previous owner, Joan, who spent her days here as crafty homemaker to her late husband and brood of seven children. In true immigrant fashion, my family held tight to the vintage Americana this house oozed when we moved in, having eked our way into the playground of the upper echelons. In 20 years, not much has…