hot times at the ice cream social

The two women glared at each other even as they scooped ice cream into their mouths. In creamy spittle, they cast shade. "What an asshole," declared Mabel. "You saw that that was my chair," she complained bitterly into the crowded space, hoping someone would corroborate her claim. But finding such a soul was even more … Continue reading hot times at the ice cream social →

the gift

Every Christmas, the two sisters were each gifted a doll that had the coloring of the other. Beth, the elder sister, always coveted Maddie's doll. She yearned to have a doll with hair like the light of the sun and a dress the color of cotton candy. Instead, Beth received the Latina version of the … Continue reading the gift →

some mornings

Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps. --Emo Philips I've had a string of days like the one beautifully described by Emo Philips, an old favorite. It's not necessarily anything external going on. The leather straps are internal obstacles that I haven't managed to work past yet. Things like old thought … Continue reading some mornings →

banana bread, anyone?

Virgil and Sharon Smith measure their day by television programming. As they tell guests during commercial breaks, "...two o'clock is Bonzai Gunslingers. Then at three we watch Entitled Rich 1950's Girl Pseudodrama. After that is Guess the Price of This Crap..." From morning to night their day is jam-packed. Right now, it's 8:23 on Wednesday … Continue reading banana bread, anyone? →

birding blind in the grasslands

On Saturday, my spouse and I escaped the city for a few hours to participate in another guided nature walk. This time, we went to view nesting grassland birds. I imagined the walk would be a scavenger hunt for bird nests tucked away in the grass. We would peer into their homes like peeping Toms … Continue reading birding blind in the grasslands →