i have two voicemails

one from each of my uncles

i can’t even bring myself to listen to the second one yet

because the first one

is a full minute

about how someone mentioned being a better uncle

and he figured he could probably do more

to be a better uncle to me

and he’s not even a bad uncle

so i don’t even know what to say to that

and my other uncle

only calls me when he’s had too much to drink

and he’s just calling because he hasn’t seen me in months

(which isn’t true)

and to remind me that i can call him too, do i know that?

so i haven’t been able to listen to that one yet

and i wonder how many days

or weeks

(forever?)

can go by before they call me again

and i have to decide to make small talk

or tell them things about my life

that they probably don’t want to hear

when you’re a kid they don’t tell you

that when you become an adult

your family will either see you as a kid forever

or call you to remind you

that you’re an adult now and relationships are a two-way street

so call me back, okay?