Mittens has started a garden.

Now, this is something I never planned to do. I thought I didn’t have enough time, or enough space, so it just never seemed feasible to me.

But Mittens is better at time management than I ever was, managing to go out with my friends, take care of me, do renovations on the house, and keep a pretty little garden.

“What’s your secret, Josh?” one of my friends asks him.

He’s been inviting my friends over, something I was somehow never close enough to them to do.

Mittens laughs, artificially but calmly.

“I’ve been reading self-help books. Do you want to hear all about Ways to change your life by Rebecca Stine?”

I whip my head around and gape at him. That book has been on my shelf forever, but I never got around to reading it.

The friend, George, chuckles and scratches his head.

“I really think it’s just you. I mean sure, I can read the book, but…” he laughs uneasily again.

Mittens adds his chilly laughter to that and their laughter blends, creating a truly horrible sound.

“Maybe I’ll start a garden of my own, though. Those tomatoes look tasty!” George says jokingly.

How does he not see how different “I” am?