You know those lumps of flesh you sometimes spot sitting on a park bench, napping on the sidewalk, or wandering the streets with bags or carts in tow?  Have you ever paused to look at them?  I mean, beyond the white face, black face, red shirt, blue pants sort/… Read full post »

Usually when the words “pot” and “liquor” are paired, something involving college kids or the police will ensue.  The two certainly sound like ingredients for a wild party.  Unfortunately, if you’re reading this in anticipation of getting the directions for pre/… Read full post »

  There have been times in my marriage that I've found myself feeling sorry for my husband.  I mean really feeling sorry for him.  Most often,  it's because he's not in the best or safest of circumstances.  This is not one of those times, however. He's&n… Read full post »

 Fred sat beside me in English during my sophomore year of high school.  He was much smaller than the other boys his age.  While the popular males had long feathery locks of hair, Fred’s was always kept short, almost militant looking….out of st/… Read full post »

I carried the worn slip of paper in my wallet for months.  Often I would pull it out and stare at the woman’s name and phone number, the hand-written letters and numbers were beginning to fade.  Sometimes I’d go so far as to stop at a pay/… Read full post »

There used to be an actor by the name of Marty Feldman that really creeped me out when I was a child.  His right eye always looked east, while his left tended to favor the direction of west.  When I met Catherine back in the fifth grade, the first/… Read full post »

Growing up, most children are taught to never talk to strangers.  That was hardly the case in my household.  It would not have been too realistic for my parents to warn me of the danger of persons unknown when they were continuously bringing them home.  As a result, I’ve often fa… Read full post »

I noticed the familiar figure making his way along the busy street.  On his back he carried a large duffle bag and bed roll.   I looked beyond him and realized where he was headed.  I decided to run my last errand and then catch up with him. 

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I dreaded the bus ride every single school day for two long years.  As a little girl of six and seven, I didn’t come equipped with the right ammunition to fight the daily battle.  I was also too young to fully understand the level of deep-seeded bitter… Read full post »

Today my second son is eighteen.

Today her second son is in a hospital bed.

Today my son will celebrate with friends.

Today her son’s friends will be turned away.

My son will get a new car, today.

Her son’s motorcycle is a mangled mess.

My son has his lifetime ahe… Read full post »

To Whom it May Concern,

I wish to thank you for your prompt delivery of the pizza that I ordered last night.  When I phoned you, my call was answered on the first ring, which immediately impressed me.  Your service was exceptional.  The pie was phenomenal. 

  As you know… Read full post »

   Sunday suppers were a fancy affair when I was growing up.  Mom would wake up early and begin preparing meats and vegetables before we headed off to church.  Following services, we'd return home and upon opening the door, the aromas from the kitchen were /… Read full post »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jB3zzv2G6Y

As a teenager, I often fantasized about killing myself… not because I was sad or depressed.  I envisioned it as if I were choreographing a video for MTV, but this was before the days of music television. I know it sounds dis/… Read full post »

The year started out well.  Things were going my way, a direction I tend to prefer.  I was a sales manager for a local radio station, having worked my way up from account executive over the years. My husband ran a restaurant which yielded him a good salary with bonus.  We/… Read full post »

Sleep is my enemy.

She beckons to me seductively,

yet slips away as I approach.

Darkness looms.

Sleep is gone,

finding delight

in my abandonment.

I’m all alone.

Wide Awake.

Crying. Read full post »

 

 Even I admit that it’s an uncommon hobby.  Still, I’m glad I discovered it, and just in the nick of time.  I had never heard of “sweeping” when I stumbled upon it by accident.  It became a lifesaver of sorts, something I could do when the g… Read full post »

  

Control left me at the altar just when I needed him most.  I had to walk down the aisle all alone in my white cotton dress stained with mascara-laced tears.  The faces of the guests were marked with pity, but none dared to make eye contact with me. … Read full post »

  me & josh

 I methodically went through this morning’s routine without giving much thought to the acts themselves.  When my life was normal, I would have already scratched off at least a dozen items from my “to do” list by now, but things are far from… Read full post »

Depression wears a heavy wool cape regardless of the season.  When I first became acquainted with him, I thought he was my friend.  He encouraged me to stay in bed and tucked me in underneath lovely hand-made quilts.  He tells me that crying is healthy.  He keeps my p/… Read full post »

I should have married my father (yeah, may as well go ahead and start the banjo music).  What I mean by that is my dad had so many wonderful attributes, it would have been nice to have married someone that shared at least a few of them.  Instead, I took great… Read full post »

Events of  perfect timeliness bewilder me.  I’m referring to the way bad and good crashes into each other with such force that it cancels the other out.  I guess that’s where the old expression, “I’ll take the good with the bad” comes from.  I al… Read full post »

I’ve been blessed in my life.  Unlike many others, I’ve not been tossed about, having to weather one wave of adversity after another. While it’s not been a pain-free existence, it’s been a fairly pleasant ride, especially when compared to that of friends who have faced il… Read full post »

The sound of the ringing phone broke the silence in the wee hours that Sunday morning.  My dad was the on-call clergyman for the local hospital that weekend.  There had been a terrible car crash with multiple deaths and injuries.  He got out of bed, took a quick shower and headed… Read full post »

I met him at a party. I couldn’t help but meet him. He was loud and boisterous, but also ruggedly handsome. He had a thick mop of chestnut hair and he wore a very expensive jacket stitched from a fine, soft leather. He had a gorgeous smile and everybody there seemed… Read full post »

Everyone who has ever adopted a child has their own reasons for doing so.  Mine is the result of losing my beloved adoptive mom, suddenly, in an automobile accident more than thirteen years ago.  The death of a loved one often brings about unexpected changes, and for me, this was especially/… Read full post »