Women's group

R. told me she belonged to a group of accomplished women 'of a certain age' who get together once a month to talk about things, and that most of the conversation is about their daughters, of whom they're quite 'afraid.'

Afraid? I said.

Yes, R. said.

It's a complex phenomenon, R. explained, in which the mothers don't understand their daughters, that the daughters, being empowered by the social and political gains of the woman's movement and the post-war economic boom, seem so lacking in direction and accomplishment.

Really, I said, as I say to many things that sound interesting without sounding quite right.

They can't talk to their daughters, R. said, seeing them as not taking advantage of all the advantages given them.

You mean they don't understand their daughters as people, I said, thinking that made more sense.