of my mother.
She hadn’t worn the dress because she wanted to punish Catherine.
She wasn’t trying to embarrass anyone.
She had gotten the information she needed.
And now she was giving Catherine the dignity Catherine hadn’t immediately given her.
Because beneath all the strategy, my mother was generous.
Maybe she understood people like Catherine better than Catherine understood herself.
People who sort others into categories often do it because categories feel safe.
They reduce surprise.
They tell you where you supposedly stand.
My mother had spent her entire life
