183 Comments
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✨ Prajna O'Hara ✨'s avatar

Thank you for tickling me silly in the best way ever. Agree: "She congratulates herself on using the word “load.” She was young once. She knew her way around. Hell, yes." Terrific!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Prajna, I am so happy you liked that part, My youngest daughter, (who is fifty-one) would be mortified. But I just had to write it! THANK YOU.

✨ Prajna O'Hara ✨'s avatar

Of course you did. I love how you don’t hold back.

According to Mimi's avatar

Your writing makes me torn between wanting crayons, a Youtube subscription, and the recipe for the avocado and corn salad.

But your title is just the best!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you so very much!!

Deborah Sosin's avatar

What a tale, Abby! I'm so glad you coughed up that dastardly kernel. Yikes. I loved that you went from porcupine reproduction to John Travolta's dance moves. Isn't that the way those seductive algorithms work? Love the drawing. Hope you have less eventful days, well, you know what I mean.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

It seemed very fitting, yes. And god knows I can watch him dance forever. Thank you, I do know what you mean. Thank you agqin.

Sigrid Heath's avatar

I love this so much! When you decided to draw porcupines I was sure you’d draw them having sex and was very interested in that. But I guess those abundant quills would obscure how they did it. And I’d have wanted to see their equipment, too. Ah well.

Your salad sounded wonderful and I’m very glad you avoided pneumonia. The pale kernel in a locket made me grin. I think you should do it.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

I could draw that maybe. The female lays the quills toward her back down flat. Alas, no idea how the male is hung. I bet we could look that up too. I probably will, now that you've brought it up (so to speak). But anyway, thank you!

Lila's avatar

You make me smile and shake my head at your wit and candor

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you very much, so very glad you enjoyed it.

Wendy Varley's avatar

Laughing. But mighty relieved when the corn kernel popped out.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you, so was I, oh boy! What a relief.

DIANA ADMIRE's avatar

you always keep me laughing... So glad the corn thing is over, that was scary.

Stay you, stay well and always keep writing!.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you very much, Diana. So happy you laugh. That makes me happy.

Amelia Demma's avatar

And drawing and following her wandering mind. Porcupines!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you, Amelia. I hope to. It is so much fun.

Susan K's avatar

A perfect piece, as always - perfect for its honesty and its true reflection. And the drawing! It’s absolutely wonderful. I wish I could frame it and hang it on my wall.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

You are very kind, thank you. So glad you liked it, even the drawing.

Amelia Demma's avatar

Oh, dear. I am glad that all resolved well. Hooray for Paul!

Loving the insight that when your brain goes off leash, it brings you to cavorting porcupines. Now, that is inspiring!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Yes! Hooray for Paul! My brain doesn't seem to have a leash, but thank you for being so very kind.

Ain Khan's avatar

So silly and serious, and whimsical and tender all at once. I want to be you when I grow up. Inhale some corn and watch some porcupine sex.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

You don't every have to inhale corn, ok? Thank you for all those lovely adjectiives, I am grateful and very happy to read them.

John Hammond's avatar

This is kind of sexy, scary and prickly. I think you're creating a new genre.

Like you, I can't draw or paint, but you've encouraged me to try it anyway--even if it would be fruitless, like duct-taping a banana onto a canvas.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

but the banana is fruit. It wouldn't be fruitless. Oh wait. Guess what. A banana is, I believe, a berry. Check it out. And drawingnwhen you can't draw is uch more fun than being good at it. At least I keep thinking that. Please do draw something. I want to see it. Sexy, scary and prickly. Maybe I'll do another one. Prickly. Well, there it is, two in one. Now I just need scary. Thank you, John. Thank you for reading it.

Elizabeth Roper Marcus's avatar

What a lovely piece of writing: simple, honest, relatable. You come through as one of us and distinctly you. The way you share your line of thought makes us love not just your writing but also you.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

What a terribly nice thing to say, thank you very much. Wow. Thank you.

Elizabeth Roper Marcus's avatar

I read many of the comments and realized that this was what everyone was saying, in one way or another. Until I tried to put it into words, I didn't quite realize that this is what we most hope for when we write, isn't it?: to transform our thought (a tiny bit of our self) into a missive that will reach others and provoke interest and a sense of connection but also a feeling for the particular self behind the thought. Such a beautiful thing!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

I think you are right. And you put it perfectly. Thank you.

Dorothy's avatar

What a lovely happenstance to find you today it’s 91 in Boston and I needed a laugh🤣 I absolutely love the porcupine drawings and your writing is always fun! Thank you, dear Abigail🙏🏻❤️🥰

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you very much. Boston and hot, yeah, we'd all need to laugh. Thank you very much. So glad you did.

Tina Rogers's avatar

Chortled out loud on several occassions - and we all need a good chortle these days. Thank you Abigail.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

I love the word chortle. It's like candy in my mouth. Thank you for chortling and telling me!

Denise Emanuel Clemen's avatar

This is completely fabulous. Thank you!

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Well, that's awfully nice of you! Thank you!

Rebecca Rice's avatar

I love this--the whimsy, the drama, the self-deprecating honesty.

Abigail Thomas's avatar

Thank you very much! So very happy you liked it.