What is the Sound of the End of the World?

10 Oct 2011.

"I was married to Earl for 7 years! It wasn't a great marriage, but as far as I can tell those don't exist." She strode across the kitchen and yanked open a drawer of clanging flatware. Grabbing a large spoon she plunged it into the boiling soup on the stove and stirred. "At least not in this family," she added, looking away from her mother. 
     When her mother remained silent she continued. "When Earl yelled and screamed and pushed me, that was the end of my world. I took my baby boy and let him do whatever it is that men do when they get bored with their wives."

"Or vice versa," said her mother softly.

She turned on the old lady, her anger and complex feelings about her mother's divorce from her own father flaring up. She started to speak, but let it go. "Whatever," she said.

"Earl didn't wanted to abandon Andy," said her mother.

"You could've fooled me, Mom. He wasn't the one who woke up every morning schlepping him off to day care. I don't remember him rocking him to sleep late at nights when he was sick with the flu. I did everything for Andy. And all I got from Earl was a monthly check and what? Having Andy visit a few times a year to his home in New Orleans? What kind of father abandons his son like that?"

"He might've done more," said her mother, "if you'd asked."

"I didn't want to ask, ok? He left me and my son. His son."

"You kicked Earl out of your life, honey."

"He kicked me out of his! And now Andy is kicking me out of his life. Where's the justice in that?" She began weeping. "Where's the justice in that?"

Her mother walked to the stove and began stirring the soup, her daughter inches away. "Maybe Andy is kicking you into your own life, dear."