<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class="">Advice from a Five Year Old</span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; white-space: pre-line;" class=""> </span></span><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">Audra asks my dog’s middle name.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I say it’s Super Star. She says,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">“What’s her last name?”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I say it’s Wing, like me.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She spins twice on one sneakered toe,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">says she likes my wedding ring.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She asks, “What’s her name?”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">a chin nod towards the woman last</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">at my side. “That’s Sabrina, my wife.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">But our last names are not the same.”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She twists one long strand of hair.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">“Are you a boy?” I say no.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">“Is she a boy?” I say no again.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">Her face pulls into a puzzle.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">“Then how can she be your wife?”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I say a girl can marry a girl.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">Her shoulders reach to her ears,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">eyes wide. “That’s crazy!”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I say, “A girl can marry a girl,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">or a boy can marry a boy.”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She rocks, heel to toe, heel</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">to toe. She says, “My dad</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">said I have to marry a boy.”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I shrug, say, “It’s up to you.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">Boy or girl.” She twists the fabric</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">of her t-shirt at the belly, thinking,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">then announces she is hungry,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">makes her way to the buffet table.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">Audra returns with a plate of cut-up</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">pears, apples, peaches, sits down</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">again at my side. She says,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">“Your wife helped me.” I lift my</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">hat to rub my head. She drops her</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">fork. “You don’t have any hair!”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I tell her I shaved it off. “Does your</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">wife have hair?” Yes, yes she does,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">I say. It’s just short, under her cap.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She says, “I want to keep mine.”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">That’s fine, I say. It looks nice.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">She finishes her fruit, then turns,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">brows knit tight. “I don’t think</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class="">you should shave your dog.”</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class="">- Michele Wing</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class="">(Recently published in </span><span style="orphans: auto; widows: auto;" class="">Manzano Mountain Review)</span><span style="white-space: pre-line;" class=""><br class=""><span style="font-family: Lato; font-variant-ligatures: normal;" class=""> </span></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-family: Lato; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-line; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-color: initial; letter-spacing: 0px;" class=""><br class=""></span></span></div></body></html>