Monthly Archives: April 2021

If you have ever met someone who travels through life blissfully ignorant of anything around her, you probably met Carolyn. With no meaning of malice, but unfortunately no consideration of forethought, she said and did exactly what she wanted, exactly … Continue reading →

Transfixed I stared into cold dead unreadable eyes. Maybe I would be allowed to pass. No harm, no foul. Just two creatures whose paths fate had briefly intertwined. We moved in an arc, each participant in this deadly dance transfixed … Continue reading →

TO MY MOM, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY   Like most fourteen to eighteen-year-old boys today, my behavior could have easily been fashionably, but incorrectly, diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder or labeled juvenile delinquency. I would then be given daily doses of Adderall, … Continue reading →

(I’m entering this in a contest, so please, critique away!) Mama left no footprints when she alighted last night. Summoned by loons, fireflies bright, carried by moon beams’ sterling heights— Mama left no footprints when she slipped in last night. … Continue reading →

Everyone gets old. OK, some never make it to “old”. When I was a child, 50 was ancient. When I was 50, I was in “middle age”. Now, at 75, I am in “late middle age”. But a more accurate … Continue reading →

Way back in grade three, I think, I penned my first poem, an ode of love to my mother on Mother’s Day.  As I recall, it went like this— Mother’s Day comes in May, So here’s a card to make … Continue reading →

“BEING THERE” The most unforgettable and famous character I ever met, I never met – unless you count motion pictures. I shall try to characterize this person by what he said both on film and in public. He was a … Continue reading →

Twenty year ago, in my world, once again I inherited a blessing I could not explain or answer the question “why me.” A beautiful child entered into my life, a granddaughter we named Nina. We saw in her a perfection … Continue reading →

The crime scene was familiar yet shocking. The body lay prone. Eyes were wide like a stuffed toy teddy bear. His mouth was partially open- frozen in mid-sentence. The patrolman stood outside the first floor apartment- nonchalantly sipping his coffee. … Continue reading →

Some months back, I wrote about one of the most memorable characters it’s ever been my pleasure to know.  You may remember him—the Cat, my friend who lurches through life’s legion of lessons, forever landing on his feet. At least, … Continue reading →

There it was watching me haunting me. That 4 foot by 4 foot cavern in the stage floor daunted me with every pirouette and every chace. In my head, I knew the orchestra pit was stationary but it seemed to … Continue reading →

LANCE’S LAMENT Lance, an extreme hypochondriac and even more extreme germaphobe, has locked himself in his apartment since the first news of the Covid pandemic hit the media in early January. Since then, Lance has not gone out into New … Continue reading →

“Damn!” Crouched over rocks in the Sonoran Desert somewhere outside Tucson, I smacked my calf in response to a painful prick. Or maybe it was a bite. It was definitely an attack. “What the…” Swatting away the offender, I swore … Continue reading →

He opens up the trapdoor, knowing whence and whither he goes Half the journey was joyful, half the crowd he froze “Fuck them if they think they can keep electric out” Zimmerman ordered up his Stratocaster to the roadies with … Continue reading →

I had been working at the firm for two months. My routine involved a nice lunch at the corner cafe. But each day on the return to the office I glanced into the alley to see a familiar figure.  She’s … Continue reading →

Pocket full of one dollar bills City skyline in the rearview mirror Hands relaxed on the steering wheel She’s relaxed with the whole damn deal When I said we could talk it over What she heard was “It’s really over” … Continue reading →

It’s getting late. The sun will be setting soon. I’m listening. There. I hear some voices in the distance. “Put your cell phone away. We’re almost there”. They have been walking on the boardwalk for a good ten minutes. As … Continue reading →

The Devil’s Herd (inspired by “Ghost Riders in the Sky”) It didn’t take long for Zack to realize he was in way over his head. Petty Larceny was his forte. Shoplifting, purse snatching, breaking into a car or two kept … Continue reading →

(Inspired by “Longing in Their Hearts,” Bonnie Raitt, 1994) Framed by high desert red spires, Paul was on bended knee, a diamond in his right hand, and my right in his left. Averting the question that was about to pop … Continue reading →

This short tale is prompted by the song ‘Tonight, Tonight’ from West Side Story.  If you wish, you can listen to this audio clip of my men’s choral group singing the song as you read the story— http://www.harbourtownsound.ca/db_uploads/01_Tonight_Tonight.mp3 The ring … Continue reading →

HOME AGAIN It is said that you can’t go home again, but I beg to differ. I am going home for the first time in many years, after working on an oil pipeline up in Nome, Alaska. It was hard, dangerous work, but I made a … Continue reading →

Darla was dreading the bachelorette party of her younger sister Dede. Several years apart, the sisters couldn’t be further from each other in every way. Darla was an introverted scientist who based her life like a series of chess moves, … Continue reading →

Naked lies the birthing of the child Please to meet you, can you guess my name A place beyond the crib I’ll advocate Faux reasoning will will convince and act as bait To define the essence and narrative through the … Continue reading →