Monthly Archives: December 2022

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. – T. S. Eliot As another year draws to an end, and with it … Continue reading →

There are none so deaf as those who will not hear,Who will not listen to my spoken word,Who turn away from me as I draw nearAnd act as if they never even heardThe words of greeting, strong and loud and … Continue reading →

Belly buttons Cigar smoke Tuna fish Dirty jokes Escalators Busy roads Items borrowed Money owed Hairy spiders Snow and ice Excess noise Unsolicited advice Expired coupons Wilted flowers Cancer cells Loss of power Climate change No cell service Expectations Feeling … Continue reading →

Every year since I could remember I dreaded the predictable visit from Uncle Joe. He was in my mind the most uncouth, rude, obnoxious vile human being on the planet I couldn’t’ believe I was even related to him let … Continue reading →

My eyelids seem weighted- defying my will to remain alert. My eyebrows rose, pulling my eyelids upward in a last ditch attempt to remain conscious. I’d resolved to finally stay up for the Big Event even though I’d be lucky … Continue reading →

Last week, a group of people gathered in the hotel lobby where I work. They were waiting for their ride to a company Christmas party. The women were dressed in elaborate evening wear, covering just enough of their bodies to … Continue reading →

I consider it objectionable when people ignore the fundamental tenets of good manners, of respect for others, of common sense.  Since when is that okay?  As a gentleman of a certain generation, I object to the innumerable behaviours that flout, … Continue reading →

There is something ridiculously daunting about writing a holiday story that makes me feel like the Nutcracker battling the mighty Mouse King. My wooden arms wield my sword, up and down in a repetitive motion, but nothing happens. My eyes … Continue reading →

1970 was a crazy year. Glad it was coming to an end. The SDS (Student for Democratic Society) was taking over college campuses, the Black Panthers were killing cops, Sharon Tates’s murders were still out there, and the Vietnam War … Continue reading →

Like Superman and Clark Kent, my father and Santa Claus were never seen on Christmas at the same time. Every year the drill was the same. At our annual Christmas Eve extended family gathering, my dad would announce to all … Continue reading →

(This is a story that has taken off on Vocal so I thought I’d share.) This was it. The day that was circled in red on my calendar. I reluctantly opened my eyes after a restless night’s sleep, knowing what … Continue reading →

The bank manager looked up from his stack of papers- “Go back to your desk and don’t bother me”. I froze, pistol still in my pocket. The director yelled “Cut!”. I interrupted his lecture about cost overruns- “George would never … Continue reading →

It’s hard to believe, but this soon-to-be-upon-us Christmas will be the eightieth time I’ve celebrated the festive season with family.  I have no memory of the first five or six such occasions, and most of those that came after are … Continue reading →

“You really sheriff, ol’ man?  Or didja win that tin star at the town fair?” “That’s funny, kid!  You should be on the stage…the one that’s leavin’ town tonight.”  The older man held his hand close to his holstered revolver. … Continue reading →

“No! Absolutely no way am I moving into one of those warehouses for old people waiting to die. Not at this stage of my life.” “But dad, you’re not as strong as you used to be, and the doctor said … Continue reading →

As a movie buff, I’ve always been enchanted by the meet-cute, that’s filmspeak for when two star-crossed lovers meet for the first time. The formulas are tried-and-true giving romance movie lovers a treasure trove of meaningful hopes and dreams wrapped … Continue reading →

I started my ride at the intersection where Pleasant Valley Road begins.  A long bright inviting road.  I began with spurts of uneven motion, powered by a new engine and a full tank.  Before long I sped past a school … Continue reading →

Dear Edward, I am sorry this letter finds you so late in the game. I suppose I was too busy licking the salt off my hot pretzel and preparing to belt out “Sweet Caroline” with the rest of the mad … Continue reading →

Although I had heard about Ferdy since Tony told me about him, I wasn’t prepared to meet the husky kid with thick dark curls and pale, lizard-like skin riding toward me. Nobody in Tory Island had a Stingray Chopper bicycle … Continue reading →

MARK ANTHONY MIDDLE SCHOOL, the nom de plume had nothing to do with a Latin music pop star. Instead, the name was a throwback to the neighborhood first populated by Italian immigrants in the 1930s. The school had a few … Continue reading →

OUR DESTINY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         I’m not sure that I ever spent much time thinking about my destiny. Living day to day and doing what seemed to be natural was my lifestyle. Looking ahead to writing about destiny it was important to read about … Continue reading →

When it came to women, Kenny ran the table. That’s the term his father used to describe how the cards fell during a good night of poker. Or maybe it was pool. It didn’t matter—his father spent way too much … Continue reading →

While sitting around the campfire Jacob posed a question at the annual reunion on the lake-  “Without any limitations regarding money, brains, education or training- what would you want to be remembered for after you leave this world?” The group … Continue reading →

I had entered an obscure writing contest a few months ago and promptly forgot about it. Entering contests has become a hobby of mine, and writing stories is a way to pass the time. I’ve never won or even come … Continue reading →

As a younger man, I never harboured grandiose thoughts as to the destiny that might await me in life—not until I became a father.  That changed everything.  Just recently, I came across an arresting picture on the internet, one that … Continue reading →

The drive through the Snow Belt region felt a bit like the dreaded northeast winter itself – an endless, uncomfortable gray slush settling into the crevices of your boots. But arrival at the farm meant shedding our winter layers and … Continue reading →

VERSE     C                                                                                       Am YOUR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN … HAIR DANCE ACROSSED YOUR EYES Dm                                                                                F YOU’RE IN ANOTHER PLACE …..BY THAT LOOK ON YOUR YOU FACE C                                                                     Am CONVERSATION IS HARD….. WORDS ARE SPOKEN NOT HEARD D                                                                     F REMINDERS OF A FAITHLESS KISS CHORUS … Continue reading →

As much as the native Americans and pilgrims came together to peacefully feast, the modern Thanksgiving table often becomes the dividing line in every family between political and generational feuds and sometimes great food wars. Sore points of who’s turkey … Continue reading →