"It's really cold, isn't it?"
though she pronounced it as Innit

She was watching her breath
as if she had never seen it before
tangible
"Like in a cartoon, or whatnot."

Small events captivated her attention,
made her smile no matter the circumstance.

When I told her I was sending her back
to Alabama she said she was: 
 "not surprised",
but she pronounced it   'not supised,

Her voice, a little lower than usual,
didn't fool either of us.