Cold Enough for Snow

"I thought of how, out of all the places we had seen, she had seemed happiest at a small store we'd found in one of the many underground passages that joined the subway stations. It had been the kind that sold gloves and socks, all made in such numbers that they were affordable, and on sale. The stores had been crowded, with many people going through the racks. My mother had spent close to forty minutes there, looking through the various sections, and had bought gifts for everyone. She had made sure to choose very carefully and thoughtfully, matching each person to an item as best she knew how, and had bought two sets of brightly coloured gloves for my sister's children, as well as a pair for me. Whenever I asked her what she'd like to visit in Japan, she'd often said she'd be happy with anything. The only question she'd asked once was whether, in winter, it was cold enough for snow, which she had never seen."

~~ from Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au