We had all become such fast friends. After shutting off the lights for an early sleep, my phone began blinking incessantly with notifications from the group chat I’d recently been added to. Olivia kept sending goofy pictures of herself, and the rest of the gang decided to join in. “I luv all 46 of ur chins,” read one endearing comment. Unable to drift to sleep anyway, I figured I could make an impression. I pushed my head back, grimaced, and snapped a photo with full flash. “You look like a baby cucumber,” said Olivia. And I knew I was in.
Kim Palmisano is a neurodivergent memoirist and essay writer battling a years-long fight against writer's block and self-doubt. Souvenirmug.blog Bluesky: souvenirmug.bsky.social.