Scroll
down for recent stories
Summertime
Lona Matshingana
©
Copyright 2020 by Lona Matshingana
|
 |
The
beginning of a new season was something we all cherished in Tembisa,
South Africa. Tembisa wasn’t a beautiful place because it was
filled with shacks as it was a poverty stricken place and when I
stayed there, we stayed in a one room house, that was part of other
one room houses but it was surely packed with beautiful people inside
and outside. . . .
More...
Your Missing Daughter
Letters to an Unknown Father
Brenda North
©
Copyright 2020 by Brenda North
|
 |
Brenda
is the only child of her mother but has never known her
father or if she has any half siblings. All of her life, she has
wondered about her father and wanted to know him. These letters have
been a way for her, after sixty plus years of these feelings, to
release the hurt and anger about her situation. . . .
An Echo Of Things To Come
Garry Goodfellow
©
Copyright 2020 by Garry Goodfellow
|
 |
The
chamber of
the dawn seemed gigantic, the mountains having lifted up the roof of
heaven higher than the man had seen for a long time, the woodlands
below the sunrise proving a wonderful lack of mankind and a glorious
after-life beyond this world. The Day Star flashing in the East, his
face turned toward the distant moon, the high hills cast their gaunt
shadows as the wind that blew with a spirit of rest, and the grass
was bright with the dew. . . .
Pohnpei, The Hotspot of Micronesia
Alan Kim
©
Copyright 2020 by Alan Kim
|
 |
We learn in
school in history and world geography of different countries, cites
and cultures. While learning about foreign places like Paris, Tokyo
and Sydney, we dream about traveling there and around the world. It
is when we actually go to these places that we experience and learn
what’s like living there. To take in the sights, sound and food
of different cities around the world is exciting. . . .
Pandemic Diary
Judith Nakken
©
Copyright 2020 by Judith Nakken
|
 |
This
is my stepfather's true story and also
contains a warning that the Spanish flu lasted the better part of 2
years.
Clifford
Guy Wessman, unlovingly remembered as my Wicked Stepfather, was
inducted into the army shortly after the United States finally
entered World War I, the War to End all Wars. He was twenty-five,
married but childless. When he left Alta, Iowa in July of 1918 he
had no idea -. had never even heard a rumor - that the Spanish
Influenza had a six-months start on becoming a global pandemic. . . .
Stalag 38319--Covid-19 Avoicance Unit
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2020 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
. . .When news
broadcasts indicated that the Covid-19 corona virus was deadliest to
15% of the population who were over 80 with underlying medical
conditions, I was neither surprised nor particularly fearful that
this would be the means of my final demise. However, I had no raging
desire to become a victim of this disease if it could be avoided. I
had already paid a heavy price for being elderly. I would not expose
myself unnecessarily to allow this disease to curtail any remaining
time I would otherwise enjoy. . . .
My Love Affair With Horse Racing
At Caymanas Park
Ranklin Dennis
©
Copyright 2020 by Ranklin Dennis
|
|
From
as far back as I can remember, I was not given much rein to wander
about and mingle with most children in my neighborhood except for
those of my mother’s friends and approved neighbors. . . .
More...
Churlish Fate
Pavithra Silva
©
Copyright 2020 by Pavithra Silva
|
|
Welcome
to the most churlish episode of my life’s expedition, which
knocked me out at a younger age than I expected. So, particularly my
autobiography does not present a person overridden with
self-confidence or life’s ecstasy but merely a sentimental
human being trying to communicate the tragedy of her life, so as to
inspire all readers of this story to evade all sentient and
insentient mistakes I committed, by simply not being true to myself
and by not being genuine with others. . . .
More...Beyond
the cracked sidewalk, and the telephone pole with layers of flyers in
a rainbow of colors, and the patch of dry brown grass there stood a
ten-foot-high concrete block wall, caked with dozens of coats of
paint. There was a small shrine at the foot of it, with burnt-out
candles and dead flowers and a few soggy teddy bears. One word of
graffiti-filled the wall, red letters on a gold background: Rejoice! . . .
Unforgiven
Kim Smyth
©
Copyright 2020 by Kim Smyth
|
 |
I
don’t really know when it was my son started changing. I think
it was around fifteen, he became what I described to my friends and
family an “alien,” someone I no longer knew as my sweet,
loveable, baby boy anymore. . . .
Only God Has The Power To Heal
Ellen Fannon
©
Copyright 2020 by Ellen Fannon
|
 |
The
day after Christmas 2004, the most destructive tsunami ever recorded
occurred after a magnitude 9.1 underwater earthquake struck off the
coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Within fifteen minutes, the tsunami,
measuring more than 100 feet, hit the west and north coasts of
northern Sumatra,
particularly devastating the heavily populated province of Aceh,
known as the front porch of Mecca (the area with the strictest form
of Islam).
Entire communities were swept away in a matter of minutes. The terrible death
toll in Aceh was estimated at 150,000—half its population, with
an additional several thousand people left homeless. . . .
We Cannot Be Happy: The Intricate and Complicated Economic and Socal Labyrinth in which Venezuela is Trapped
Douglas Comacho
©
Copyright 2020 by Douglas Comacho
|
 |
An
ordinary
Venezuelan citizen briefly relates the hard and difficult economic
and social situation that Venezuela is going through, as well as the
incoherent, confused and irrational behavior that his compatriots
have adopted in trying to survive in a country with growing poverty,
blocked internationally and lacking in tranquility, well-being and
happiness. . . .
My First Day of TeachingInside A State Prison
Tom Davison
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom Davison
|
 |
This
was it - today was the big day! The much anticipated (at least by me)
day was finally here. My first day of teaching college to felons
inside of an all-male State Prison. I was standing in the parking lot
of that prison - gazing toward the entrance – deep in
trancelike reflection. . . .
More...
Not Again!
Tom Davison
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom Davison
|
 |
“That’s
not another
poem you’re gonna read to us – is it Dr. D”
asked the blue denim-clad inmate in a strident voice? Here I am–
I thought to myself for the umpteenth time– forging young
minds. . . .
Ode to a Grecian Journey
Martha Patterson
©
Copyright 2020 by Martha Patterson
|
|
In
remembering
travel in Europe while young, I am sad to recall the callow
indifference my
American
college-age companions had towards me, their insularity and coldness.
Possibly I was
more
sophisticated than they were, possibly more well-read. In any case I
was sorely taken aback
by a lonely
trip I took with these girls who seemed singularly lacking in
politesse. . . .
Storytelling: A Journey
Shana Bestock
©
Copyright 2020 by Shana Bestock
|
|
At
the Golden Globes, a year and a half after the world turns upside
down and I think I'm out of stories, Oprah goes viral preaching her
truth, which is that there is value and power in speaking your truth,
telling your story. I had never watched Oprah before, and it only
took one speech for me to understand this woman's magnificence. Her
stature, her cultivated authenticity, her self-awareness and
intentional use of charisma, her passion for storytelling. . . .
Lost and Found
Shana Bestock
©
Copyright 2020 by Shana Bestock
|
 |
The
last week of my first European adventure - undertaken at a moment of
extreme personal loss and anguish of identity, a mid-life rediscovery
of discovery and the revalation of Europe in general - I returned
from a morning walk in Toulouse to find my hosts' car gone. Stolen.
Disappeared, on my watch. . . .
I
am an actor living in LA and, like almost every other actor in LA, I
have a day job. Mine is working at an ice cream shop.
People
are always asking me what it’s like to work in an ice cream
shop. They ask “how do you not eat ice cream all the time?”
My answer to that question is, “I do eat ice cream all the
time.” . . .
The Big One
Marie Barski
©
Copyright 2020 by Marie Barski
|
 |
My
father was a nomad at heart and as a family we moved often. One of
those many relocations found us living in Montenegro, his birthplace.
Montenegro shares the beautiful Adriatic Sea with Croatia to the west
and Italy to the south. In March of 1979 Montenegro was rocked by an
earthquake that shattered a few windows and nerves. . . .
More...
|
Destined
Silence
Anisha Dutta
©
Copyright 2020 by Anisha Dutta
|
Photo by Chris Child on Unsplash
|
Preparation
leave prior to Examination on Masters’ Degree started for long
six months. Parents of Arianna suggested her to spend the period in
Uncle’s place on remote suburb. The place is solitary calm
devoid of noises and city disturbances. It is prime time to avail of
long leave for examination preparation. She should not lose the
opportunity to concentrate exclusively on study. . . .
Disconnect Reconnected
Nastassja Ocasia
©
Copyright 2020 by Nastassja Ocasia
|
 |
Disconnect
in the dark. It was a feeling of separation between my head and my
heart, and at that very moment, in the still and silent dead of
night, I thought my heart had won. I couldn’t bare to see
myself going through anymore pain than what I had endured during the
last few months of my time here on Earth. Dramatic in the very least,
but still, my feelings in a nutshell of greater size. . . .
More...
Nice Narrow Escape
Yahaya Muhammad Khalil
©
Copyright 2020 by Yahaya Muhammad Khalil
|
 |
One
fateful day in 2019, Muneer went to his bank and withdrew the sum of
One million, six hundred thousand in Naira (the Nigerian currency).
Coming out of the bank with the money packed in a leather bag, Muneer
stopped a commercial Rickshaw, the most popular means of local
commuting in the cities of Nigeria. . . .
Bank’s Cat
Jilly Allison
©
Copyright 2020 by Jilly Allison
|
 |
In
the grimy, soot ridden streets of industrial Middlesbrough of the
early 1900’s lived a brother and sister whose exploits, such as
they were, spread far and wide to the docks (their father was a
ships engineer) and to the market of North Ormesby (where an older
brother worked a ‘ Saturday job’. . . .
Boudicca's Coins
Jilly Allison
©
Copyright 2020 by Jilly Allison
|
 |
Audrey
Surtees surveyed herself in the full length mirror for the first time
in over thirty years. Now she was proud of the way she looked.
Slimming
Days had set up shop in the high rise block she lived in, once a week
they took over one of the public rooms, residents trooped down to be
measured, cajoled and generally persuaded that parting with their
cash each week would bring its rewards. . . .
Heavenly View
Jilly Allison
©
Copyright 2020 by Jilly Allison
|
 |
“
Eh our Eff you can’t beat a cup of tea with
condensed milk can ya,”
She
laughs, “
Nice, bit of lardy cake would do well with
it though.”
At
the mention of the word’ cake’ an elderly black Labrador
snuffles the man's hand to remind him of his presence.
Sitting
on a bench gazing out on the North sea, a gentle breeze means they
need a coat but its not cold enough for a muffler, they are content. . . .
All The Blames
Stefania Ventome
©
Copyright 2020 by Stefania Ventome
|
|
I
was in a hospital bed, looking at the small TV in front of me,
holding myself from crying. I was still wearing my street clothes,
looking at my small bag, afraid to unpack it and dress in my pyjamas,
frightened to accept my condition. . . .
More...
Drink.
Drank. Drunk.--
Came.
Came To. Came To Believe.
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2020 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
|
As
I’ve told in other stories, I got drunk for the first time when
I was 13 years old. My father, a Communist Party organizer, had been
arrested in June, 1951, along with 16 New York comrades two weeks
earlier for violation of the Smith Act. It was a fearful time for
kids, especially us Red Diaper Babies; it was the McCarthy Era, the
Cold War. . . .
Between the Lines
Messages from my Family in Cuba
Katarina Wong
©
Copyright 2020 by Katarina WongC
|
 |
Until
I was 13, I only knew my mother’s side of the family from the
letters that appeared in our mailbox in distinctive red and blue
striped envelopes. Tight, cursive handwriting declared my mother’s
full name: Lucia Capin Wong, the only time I ever saw her family name
attached to ours. The weeks it took those letters to cross the ninety
miles between Cuba and Florida made each envelope feel like a winning
lottery ticket. . . .
Our AAU Life
Dueanna Tolbert
©
Copyright 2020 by Deuanna Tolbert
|
 |
AAU
(Amateur Athletic Union) basketball is what most serious girl
basketball players strive for. They start off as young athletes
playing in little leagues and at the YMCA while receiving outside
training when possible. . . .
Love in a Covid Climate
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
In
the blink of a metaphor we have gone from our hum-drum lives to a
whole new place, a terra incognita from which some
of us won’t
emerge alive. . . .
South America on the Up and Up
Wes Choc
©
Copyright 2020 by
|
 |
Unquestionably.
It’s confirmed. Machu Picchu is extraordinary. It’s an
amazingly amazing place … above-the-clouds high, mysterious,
mystical, breath-seizing in every literal sense … of historic
consequence beyond doubt. As one of the most photographed exotic
places on Earth, it's on the must-see or “bucket list” of
every single adventurer or National
Geographic
subscriber
I’ve ever talked to. . . .
Coming Home
Fredrick Hudgin
©
Copyright 2020 by Fredrick Hudgin
|
 |
“Hudgin,
you’ve got twenty-four hours to clear Qui Nhon and get your ass
down to Ton Son Nhut Air Force Base in Saigon. Here’re your
orders.” He looked over at our company clerk, Specialist
Duncan. “Duncan, carry this sorry excuse for a soldier to
finance, to personnel, then to the airport. Get him out of here
before I can think of a good reason to keep him in this hole for
another year. . . .
More...
My First Semester as an Undergraduate
George Opara
©
Copyright 2020 by George Opara
|
 |
After
writing Jamb, the results came out after two weeks and everybody was
exited and anxious at the same time to see their results.
Unfortunately for me I was unable to see my own that week but the
news going round was that there was 60% failure in the just concluded
exams. . . .
Bene Merito: The Story of Ewa Janina
Wocjicka
A Dwarf from the Slums of
Warsaw Who Rose to Heroic Stature in Wartime
S. Nadja Zajdman
©
Copyright 2020 by S. Nadja Zajdman
|
Photo of Renata Skotnicka-Zajdman, Nadja's mother. |
At the end of June
2011, Mum, Michael and I received the news that her cancer had
resurfaced and this time, it was inoperable. Mum’s battle with
cancer had lasted longer than the war, and it appeared she was about
to lose it. Still, my brother Michael insisted that she proceed with
plans for a trip to Poland. Michael promised to accompany her. Michael
is a medical doctor, and his repeated interventions
repeatedly extended our mother’s life. Renata would be safe
with her son. . . .
The
Triumvirate:The Women Who Changed Education Forever
Grace Ryan
©
Copyright 2020 by Grace Ryan
|
 |
The
story of Anna Filosofva, Maria Trubnikova, and Nadezhda Stasova is the
story of three women who used their power, money, and privilege to
fight for women to be granted admittance to Russia's
universities. Against the backdrop of revolution, these three women
battled discrimination and bureaucracy to improve the quality
of
life for all women in Russia and paved the way for the rest of the
world to follow suit. . . .
Captains of the Mother Ship
Jennifer Moglia Lucil
©
Copyright 2020 by Jennifer Moglia Lucil
|
 |
This
story chronicles
my visit to my mother’s senior community during the holidays,
as well as the most noticeable effects of her dementia. In an often
humorous and ironic tone, I talk about the loss of my mother’s
ability to cook Italian food as well as the character of her
apartment complex in New Jersey. . . .
My Brain, Interrupted
Suzanna Price
©
Copyright 2020 by Suzanna Price
|
 |
As I sit to write
this, I stare at the computer with a golf-ball size piece of my brain
missing. It has been this way for two years now. It was a choice I
made to be set free from my seizures. . . .
Mad Men Historical Moments
Bello Abdullahi We
©
Copyright 2020 by Bello Abdullahi We
|
 |
Historical
films or period dramas are set in an earlier time period. They are a
kind of virtual time machines, so called because
they let you
peep into the past just like you would peer over your garden through
your bedroom window. Okay, I know, that analogy is not real but it
definitely has elements of truth in it. . . .
My Life - A Slippery Slope
Jaachinma BOC Chukwneke
©
Copyright 2020 by Jaachinma BOC Chukwneke
|
 |
Call
me Christy, I
was born in August 1976. We are from the Eastern Part of Nigeria but
we lived in the Northern part. I had six siblings, two brothers and
six sisters. Sometime in November 1989, there was a religious crisis
and our area was affected resulting in loss of lives and property.
This made my parents to quickly relocate back to the East. . . .
The Secret
Nancy Julien Kopp
©
Copyright 2020 by Nancy Julien Kopp
|
 |
My
parents eloped on May 31, 1938 in a Chicago suburb. Still the
Depression era, but that wasn’t the reason Garnet Studham and
Gin Julien didn’t plan a church wedding. They had no choice
since Garnet’s mother and two brothers didn’t like this
man she’d been dating, and they let their feelings be known. . . .
More...
You Can't Save Everyone
Steven Stilwell
©
Copyright 2020 by Steven Stilwell
|
 |
It
cost me less than two hundred American dollars to learn that I
couldn't save the world. I was in Kathmandu, a few years after the
earthquake and the city still hadn’t recovered. . . .
|
Homeless
Kathryn Payne Olson
©
Copyright 2020 by Kathryn Payne Olson
|
|
I’m
in LA because my 13-year-old son is a critically ill patient at
Children’s Hospital. CHLA is positioned right in the middle of
Los Angeles and I am confronted with the homeless crisis every time I
walk out the door. From some of the hospital windows, the famous
Hollywood sign shines brightly. The Church of Scientology is within
walking distance and the Sunset Strip is only a couple of miles away.
Between these tourist attractions, homeless people are scattered. . . .
More...
Welcome to Detroit
Robert Richter
©
Copyright 2020 by Robert Richter
|
 |
At
age 15, my folks moved us from an idyllic St. Louis suburb with a new
Freshman -Senior high school, to a rusty Detroit suburb with a dreary
6th to 9th grade junior high. My first day at school couldn’t
have been more disastrous in “Welcome to Detroit.”. . .
King of Pimps
Robert Richter
©
Copyright 2020 by Robert Richter
|
 |
King
of Pimps, Bishop of Jesus, Hip-Hop Royalty. Don “Magic”
Juan answers to all of the above and more. Don and I have never met
formally, but seem caught in the same gravitational vortex. Our
encounters over the years are documented here in “King of
Pimps.” . . .
|
Death
From Above: Beware
the
Birds of Prey
Steven Neill
©
Copyright 2020 by Steven Neill
|
|
It's
a scene straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. On the night of
December 09, 2001, in Durham, North Carolina, Kathleen
Peterson, a successful Nortel business executive, was outside
on
her lawn when something struck the side of her head. . . .
|
Sultana:
Funeral Pyre on the Water
Steven Neill
©
Copyright 2020 by Steven Neill
|
|
Measuring
260' in length with a draft of only 34" yet carrying a load of
1,000 tons, the Sultana was a perfect side paddled riverboat for
travel on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee rivers. Launched in
January 1863, the Sultana (which meant a sultan's
wife,
sister, or mother) was a top-rated boat for river travel during the
war. Its legal capacity was 376 passengers and crew. During the war,
it served the North well by transporting men, supplies, and munitions
all across the river systems. . . .
My First Cruise
Kim Smyth
©
Copyright 2020 by Kim Smyth
|
 |
A
few years ago, I went with my Sertoma group (stands for service to
mankind) on a four-day cruise that departed out of Galveston, Texas
and was to take us to Cozumel, Mexico. I was at once excited and
nervous, never having cruised before I was apprehensive at the cost
and of how the whole thing worked. I need not have been afraid,
however. My first cruise was so exciting and filled with fun and
adventure that I doubt any cruise will be able to top it. . . .
Sort of a Short Guy
David Berger
©
Copyright 2020 by David Berger
|
 |
Every
movement has its leaders, and this story is about one of them. And
every movement has its members, and this story is about one of them,
me. Dr. King was the outstanding American of the Twentieth Century. I
was privileged to "stride towards freedom" with him for a
little while.
. . .
Shame
Roger Martin
©
Copyright 2020 by Roger Martin
|
 |
My
first sexual memory comes from the post office. Cradled in Mother's
arms, I poke a breast. She does nothing. I poke again. The removal
of my hand is swift and harsh.
The
first dirty word I remember: eros. . . .
The
Block
Stories
Of My Growing Up
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2020 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
(Third
Avenue El at 14th
Street Station, 1952) |
I
lived in many places as a kid, mostly in New York City: born in
Brooklyn in 1938, then Upper West Side; East Bronx; Baltimore,
Maryland; Elizabeth, New Jersey; Biloxi, Mississippi; and East 12th
Street between Second and Third Avenues. That’s where I grew
up, one-quarter block from the screeches and sparks of the Third
Avenue El during the early 1950s. . . .
Barracuda Buddy
Doug Sherr
©
Copyright 2020 by Doug Sherr
|
|
The
Turks and Caicos is a group of islands that lie about 60 nautical
miles southeast of the end of The Bahamas chain. Providenciales, the
western-most island, offers little beauty on land, but the sea
contains man-made and natural treasures. Columbus’s Niña
came to rest off the north shore. An early 18th
century
French vessel carrying wine settled nearby. The reefs are healthy and
provide shelter and sustenance for a vast array of creatures, a few
of them human. . . .
The Bird Can't Find The Sky
Bonnie Crandall
©
Copyright 2020 by Bonnie Crandall
|
Photo by Jacques Le Henaff on Unsplash. |
I
was late, as
usual, and needed a bridal shower gift for someone I didn’t
know and whose shower I did not want to go to. But her parents were
influential church leaders, and since my husband was their minister,
a gift had to be bought and a shower had to be attended. . . .
Peregrine's Manor
Alex Jasinski
©
Copyright 2020 by Alex Jasinski
|
 |
This story recounts my encounter with a
peregrine falcon at the
University of York in October of 2009, during my freshman year. It
was one of those brief but very memorable moments that stayed
with me ever since. . . .
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
(In
Four Parts)
Carl
Winderl
©
Copyright 2020 by Carl Winderl
|
|
In
writings like
'this one,' the end is always so much better than the
beginning.
And this piece, in four parts, will prove no exception -- by far. . . .
More...
Lion Around
Brittany Rohm
©
Copyright 2020 by Brittany Rohm
|
|
The
lions dozed in the shade of a thicket, sporadically flicking their
tails or raising an eyelid to scan the bushveld. From the safety of
our Land Rover thirty feet away, Patrick and I watched the jungle
kings. In our dozen trips to Akagera National Park, Central Africa’s
largest protected wetland but Rwanda’s lone big game reserve,
we had seen lions only twice. Being able to watch these two all by
ourselves was a treat. . . .
|
Thank
You Washington U
Paul
Marion Fleetwood
©
Copyright 2020 by Paul Marion Fleetwood
|
|
I
got up this morning and looked out the window. It was
raining.
Weather forecast said 100% rain all day. Read my Bible,
prayed
and checked the news. Then for some reason I started thinking
about my time at Washington University in St. Louis.
Knowing the
high regard that Wash. U is held all across the world, I
wondered how in the world, I was accepted there in the first
place.
Surely it must be a lot harder to gain admittance there now than it
was then. . . .
More...
|
Encounter With A Silverback
Andrea Batstone
© Copyright
2019 by Andrea Batstone
|
|
One of my bucket list items (and I have a
few) was
checked off in September. I’ve dreamed of visiting the
Mountain Gorillas in Africa. I contacted my friend that organizes
Safaris in Africa to get the ball rolling. She said
that Uganda
has close to half of the Gorilla total population with the majority
of them living in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. She didn’t
need to convince me and thus our adventure began. . . .
|
A Buffalo, Wolf, Grizzly and Black Bear
Lisa Rehfuss
©
Copyright 2020 by Lisa Rehfuss
|
 |
Inclement
weather prevented Martha and me from experiencing Yellowstone on foot.
Granted, we weren’t going to melt in the rain, yet at our age
there’s something unappealing about hiking a muddy path.
Perhaps it’s because these days we spend more money on
footwear. . . .
Oh, For
the Love of Turtles
Desiree
Kendrick
©
Copyright 2020 by Desiree Kendrick
|
|
Send
help. A James Bond rescue works for me. Whirring helicopter blades
descending from the azure sky will do the trick, but if 007 is
otherwise engaged, a herd of Navy Seals off the coast of Curaçao
will suffice. Thank you to the depths of the sea and back.
Darkness
suffocates. The air is stale, my fear fresh. Rumbling voices bubble
around me. There’s good reason I didn’t check out the
submarine ride at West Edmonton Mall. Submerged underwater in a
compact tin-can isn’t my idea of a good time. I can barely
handle the rides at Disneyland. How in the hell did I get here? . . .
|
Paul and Clara
Cody Short
© Copyright 2020 by Cody
Short
|
|
“Hello,
my lovely. Would you like to take a walk with me,” Paul
Opossum
said to Clara, the loveliest young lady he had ever seen in the two
years of his lifetime. He had had such brief moments with her, once
at the edge of a marsh where he found her trying to catch a bullfrog
tadpole and once under a red berried bush. That is a
Brazilian
Pepper bush outlawed here in Florida. It was brought here in the
1800s from Brazil for its beauty but is harmful to large farm
animals, he thought, but he said only, “Those berries are
very tasty, aren’t they. . . .”
A Reply to Pilate
(Who was uncertain about truth)
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
It may be a measure of how
dire things have become when I admit I hesitated to offer my two
cents’ worth on the following topic for fear of being hounded
and excoriated by the Rabid Right or Loony Left.
Then I smacked myself
upside the head with a copy of Strunk and White’s “Elements
of Style” and decided to woman-up and give it a go. . . .
Mr. Fox
(updated)
James L. Cowles
©
Copyright 2020 by James L. Cowles
|
 |
Everyone
has experienced moving, either to a new apartment or home. Those who
live in large cities know how different areas of a city can be and if
you desire to get closer to nature, you need to do a little research
before moving. We moved into a new home a few years back and
immediately fell in love with the location of our property. It’s
in a beautiful area of our city, with a creek running along its
boundary and it sits next to a densely wooded area. There are also
two beautiful man-made lakes at the entrance of our subdivision
adding both beauty and habitat; they are alive with all manner of
wildlife, which is exactly what we wanted. . . .
|
Joy Comes in the Morning
Kay
Harper
©
Copyright 2020 by Kay Harper
|
|
I
was married to one who was (as far as the world knew) a wonderful
husband. Behind closed doors, however, it was another story. The
verbal and emotional abuse was so insidious—so gradual, I
didn’t even know it was happening.
No
one would believe me when I dared to tell of his cruelty. He was so
charming, funny and perfect in public. The cycle of abuse was often
confusing to me, because sometimes he treated me like a queen, but
then, for no apparent reason, I was dirt under his feet. I stepped
carefully, but felt the eggshells crackle day and night. . . .
More...
|
Keeping Track of My Back
Kay
Harper
©
Copyright 2019 by Kay Harper
|
|
It’s hard for
me to realize that although I feel about 28 inside, my body has seen
more than 65 summers, and, consequently, there are times when
limiting my activity would be a good idea. Under the heading of
“Lessons-Learned-the-Hard-Way” is this:
It started out to be
a delightful day. Our church was celebrating together with Christmas
carols, and a sit-down meal. The children gave us a sweet program,
the teens presented one that was truly thought-provoking. There was
even time to play a few Christmas games. As the luncheon wound down I
had a “bright idea” to help out by collecting trash. . . .
Driving With Dad
Nancy Julien Kopp
©
Copyright 2012 by Nancy Julien Kopp
|
 |
During
my growing-up years, my dad drove a 1936 Plymouth, moved on to a 40’s
model Buick and then a 50’s era Chrysler that was his pride and
joy. Every one of those vehicles was a used car, but Dad burst with
pride over each one. He kept them washed and waxed, made sure the
engine hummed, and brushed and vacuumed the upholstered seats
regularly. . . .
A Real Buzz-Kill
Fran Vlahos Rohm
©
Copyright 2020 by Fran Vlahos Rohm
|
Photo by Max Muselmann |
A gorgeous late spring day
beckoned me outside to sit on the grass with my fellow classmates. I
happily joined a group of my friends, who had already escaped to soak
up some afternoon rays. . . .
Intern '70
Doctor Anon
©
Copyright 2020 by Doctor Anon
|
 |
Fear
is a
wonderful motivator and a house staff works best when it works
scared. Although I certainly felt fearful and scared during the
first several months of my medical internship at a great southern
university hospital (GSUH), this was not my opinion but that of my
cardiology professor who was one of the most unlikeable individuals I
met during my medical career. . . .
|
Possums On A Half Shell
Paul
Marion Fleetwood
©
Copyright 2020 by Paul Marion Fleetwood
|
|
Armadillo's
are weird creatures. I usually refer to them as "Possums
on a half shell". I've heard that they carry leprosy germs
and that makes them a little scary. But I didn't know
anything
about that when I first saw one of the critters. Actually
there
was a whole bunch of them the first time I saw one. That was
way back in 1943. . . .
Alma Spreckels Got Her Sugar Daddy
Dale
Fehringer
©
Copyright 2019 by Dale Fehringer
|
Illustration by John Milestone |
Alma
Spreckels, a well-known arts patron and philanthropist in 19th
century San Francisco, knew what she wanted and went after
it.
In the end, she got her "sugar daddy."
Alma
Spreckels spent a lifetime trying to influence the city she so badly
wanted to accept her. In the process, the 19th
century San Francisco heartthrob left behind several monuments and an
enduring legend. . . .
My Most Frightening Encounter
Martha
Yarborough DiPalma
©
Copyright 2020 by Martha Yarborough DiPalma
|
 |
I
loved growing up in a small southern town with the woods around me.
The birdsong showers that greeted me at the dawns were a delight.
There was a lot for my brother and me to explore. We spent hours in
the woods across the street during the summers and after school. . . .
North to the Shetland Isles
Bill Cox
©
Copyright 2018 by Bill Cox
|
Photo of Mousa Broch. |
Every
country has its centre and its periphery. For most citizens, the
periphery is present only in the imagination, a remote place at the
edge of the national map, usually conjuring up ideas of wilderness,
wildness and perhaps a certain lack of sophistication.
In
the United Kingdom, the Shetland Islands very definitely play the
role of periphery for the majority of the country’s
inhabitants. In the nightly weather reports they sit apart at the top
of the map, a remote outpost, separate from the mainland, only
accessible by sea or air. It is in fact so far from the mainland that
it isn’t shown to scale on most maps, instead occupying a
little box of its own, as if in afterthought. . . .
More...
Swish Swish
Charleine Sell
©
Copyright 2019 by Charleine Sell
|
 |
My
husband slept with elephants. I didn’t.
I
am not a great lover of camping, but of all the camping adventures I
have experienced (from a family vacation at Hammonasset State Park in
Connecticut in the 1960s, the Everglades in 1973, to trout fishing on
Lake Hihium in British Columbia in 1977), the most challenging one
was with Jack, in 1972 at Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. . . .
Adventures in Parenting
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
A
story from the distant past. I think back often to the days
when my children were little and life seemed so much simpler—the
days when one believed it was possible to protect them from
everything.
We
were among the first few Peace Corps families to be sent abroad. Our
success in adapting to life in Swaziland led to other families being
recruited, but not always with the same success. Whereas very young
children seemed to adapt to the new life with little sign of unease,
older children sometimes had problems. . . .
Not
Your Mother's Pumpkin Patch
Nancy Massand
© Copyright
2019 by Nancy Massand
|
|
This is a
story of my
first job. It had nothing to do with teaching or writing. I made
pumpkins. I know it reads like a sitcom, but I promise I didn't make
it up.
The
summer I graduated from high school, my nine best friends and I got a
job at a pumpkin factory. Yes, you heard that right. We thought it
was tremendous good luck that we all got hired at the same place and
could be together a few months longer before heading off to college.
That never happens. But being seventeen and oblivious to the darker
workings of the business world, we didn’t question how ten
friends who barged into a factory without an appointment would all
get hired. The boss was elated to get ten naïve unskilled
workers who were happy with minimum wage and no benefits. . . .
More...
A Kodak Moment or Two
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2019 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
“Be
Prepared” should be the photographer’s watchword as well
as the Scout motto. Before the days of camera phones, I had my
little Kodak with me at all times, except when I didn’t. Times there would always be a great picture that I didn’t get. You’d
think I’d have learned, but the camera was often
umbilicalled to the computer and I’d forget it when I left the
house. . . .
More...
Thoughts
on a Holiday
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2019 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
Some potted history for friends who are not
Australian. It's the day after Australia Day, our national holiday,
but it's a Monday so we are celebrating today. Some are
celebrating--others are questioning whether one should celebrate a
day that marked the beginning of one group's long persecution of
another. I'm neither celebrating nor ignoring--just sittin' and
thinkin'. . . .
|
The Pardeeville Store
Leslie Soule
©
Copyright 2019 by Leslie Soule
|
The original store before it was destroyed by arson fire.
|
Roy
William Hughes was born in the town of Pardeeville, Wisconsin. He
went to work for his father William, in their store and warehouse.
But it wasn’t long, before disaster struck. Roy would have been
sixteen years old, at the time. . . .
John Cortesi
©
Copyright 2020 by John Cortesi
|
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
|
Reading
has always been one of the central passions of my life. Like an
alchemist’s brew the evocative power of words has intoxicated
me with wonder, fear, curiosity, desire, and the myriad little
epiphanies that come with the reading experience. I think that most
of us who hear the siren call of the written word need an interlude,
a pause in our daily active lives, to penetrate with tranquility the
reality of being in silent community with the experiences, lives and
voices of others. . . .
More...
|
Engaged
K. S. Anthony
© Copyright
2016 by K. S. Anthony
|
 |
People always ask
me who I wrote this about. I didn't
write it about anyone. It was
inspired by a rather
awkward (but really, what in my life isn't slightly awkward?) goodbye
in a New England coffee shop one morning. There was a pile of
newspapers between us. The colors of autumn had returned. I didn't
know what the Hell to say to her. I suppose I loved her in a very
damaged way. And that was that. I never saw her again. . . .
Heirlooms
Desiree
Kendrick
©
Copyright 2019 by Desiree Kendrick
|
|
When
I sit in the brocade chair in my mother’s house, the obstacle
course of breakables that cluttered my childhood confronts me from
all corners of the room. My father filled his den with French
provincial furniture, reproduction paintings and delicate Royal
Doulton figurines. Grandeur. He was a formidable gentleman and the
room reflected his discernment. As a young child, I took tentative
steps in that room, hesitant to knock over a porcelain lamp or look
at a crystal vase the wrong way. My saucer eyes saw landmines. . . .
Junks and a Barquentine
Doug Sherr
©
Copyright 2019 by Doug Sherr
|
Barquentine Osprey in Hong Kong harbor, 1982.
Note junk in backgrount just to the left of Osprey. |
The
747 shuddered as
the landing gear and flaps deployed. We broke through the clouds into
a misty, gray day over Hong Kong. The window was fogged, but so was I
after 21 hours jammed in with more than 500 other people. The plane
banked sharply to starboard and I was looking at Mrs. Kwan’s
laundry drying on her balcony as we flew through Kowloon instead of
above it. The plane banked even more sharply to avoid smashing into
the hill just ahead as it slicked into Kai Tak, an airport that had
been built for biplanes not 747s. Even before the engines shut off
the smell of the city invaded the cabin joining the already stale air
of a day-long flight. The in-flight magazine said that Hong Kong, in
English, means fragrant harbor. Different cultures define fragrant
differently. . . .
More...
The Jump Rope
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2020 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
The
demands
of World War II required manufacturers to produce various products
which were purchased by the US government for exclusive use as troop
support. During those years, very few products were made for
children for use as toys. Adults too old for the draft who had any
skills in woodworking sometimes hand carved trucks or cars for the
neighborhood children. Others put packaging material and imagination
to good use. Jump ropes with wooden handles was a popular item, but
these were expensive and difficult to find. . . .
Shuri Castle
Chapter 19 from the unpublished book, Tomiko
Susan Fisher
as told to J. R. Nakken
©
Copyright 2020 by Susan Fisher
|
The throne room inside the Seiden (main hall) at Shuri Castle. |
Shuri
Castle. For 4 ½ centuries the royal court and administrative
center of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Constructed of wood and Ryukyuan
limestone as early as 1300 BC in the Gusuku period, as were so many
others of Okinawa’s castles, history first records it during
the Sanzan period (1322-1429.) When King Sho Hashi unified the three
principalities of Okinawa (Hokuzan, Chazan and Nanzan, the North,
Central and South Mountain entities) and established the Ryukyu
Kingdom, . . .
Dogs and Cats Love Story 2019
Luxhmee Jaypaul
©
Copyright 2019 by Luxhmee Jaypaul
|
 |
Vedika’s
love
affair with dogs and cats started since childhood and it is a family
heritage. We say dogs have a short lifespan. Since childhood I saw
countless dogs and cats died but I never gave up on loving these fur
animals. In fact, my love for them cross borders and is boundless. . . .
Outback Animal Conflict
John Sayles
©
Copyright 2019 by John Sayles
|
 |
Our small
fifteen-seater plane dropped down through the rain after the one-hour
flight from Brisbane to the lovely named town of Toowoomba. Our young
farming friend waited by her farm wagon to take us to their
Australian outback farm near the little town of Goondiwindi, situated
close to the Queensland & New South Wales border after a bone
jolting trip of over three
hours. . . .
More...
The
Circle Unbroken
(excerpt)
Nancy Massand
© Copyright
2019 by Nancy Massand
|
|
I
recognized Mama’s Place as soon as we got inside. It was that
den of vipers daddy had warned us about from the pulpit so many
times: dark and steamy, with men of questionable character lurking in
the shadows to lead the innocents astray. There was a strong, woodsy
smell, stronger than Birdie’s place, and the smoke made my eyes
sting. I must have been holding onto Harris’ hand pretty tight,
because he leaned down close to me so I could hear him over all the
noise. “You nervous, Mavis? Because we don’t have to stay
if you don’t want to.” He said it like he meant it, but I
knew he’d be really let down if I wanted to leave. And besides,
it wasn’t like I was just walking in there by myself asking for
trouble. Harris had pretty much told Jacob he’d die before he’d
let anything happen to me, and I believed him. . . .
Gold
FeverLooking For The Lost Dutchman
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2019 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
|
The
lure of gold has created a rich history in Arizona, with the elusive
Lost Dutchman Mine one of the top targets for
treasure-seekers.
Believed to be in the Superstition Wilderness, about 50 miles east of
Phoenix, generations of would-be prospectors have risked life and
limb with little or no return. No matter that the area has
been
closed to mineral prospecting for years now, they still come. . . .
Bric Dodd
Don Shook
©
Copyright 2019 by Don Shook
|
|
Head
football coach Bric Dodd was an elitist who never considered fielding
a “B” squad. But since there were enough boys who wanted
to play who weren’t big or fast enough to make the “A”
team but demonstrated reasonable potential, he changed his mind. Pete
and I weren’t big, but we were hitters; and being a hitter paid
big rewards if you wanted to gain Coach Dodd’s favor. He
rewarded us by starting us on the “B” team. . . .
A
Scorpion's Tale
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2019 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
Drawing (c) by Gerry Wild
|
This
is a slightly revamped and updated
version of a story from a book I wrote ten years ago, “A Tree
in Mundaring”, several chapters of which have already appeared
in Storyhouse. It was one of my less practical forays into
publishing—by the time I paid the artist, the paper supplier
for the snazzy 110 gsm paper and the faux parchment
covers,
and the printer, I just broke even. But it was a nice looking
book and very popular with my neighbour hills-dwellers, who could
relate to most of the stories. . . .
Street
Hustler
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
Every
large city has its share of street corner hustlers. This is the true
story of a man who stood one afternoon on a corner to sell his wares.
Many bought into the dreams he had for sale, and not one of us has
ever been the same again. . . .
A Day at the Game Park
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2019 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
My
husband has long held that birds are vicious, pointing out the
cruelty of barnyard chickens to support his idea. Not long after we
started working in Swaziland we had a chance to test this theory.
It
started with my suggestion that we take elder daughter Bethany for a
picnic at Mlilwane Game Reserve now that we had acquired a car. It
was a 12 horsepower Volkswagen, and it was a tough little vehicle. We
had forded rivers, driven cross country where there were no roads,
and carried loads of firewood with the dependable little beetle.
There’d be no problem taking it to Mlilwane Game Reserve,
which, like Swaziland itself, was small, neat, and had no dangerous
animals in it. Or so we were told. . . .
Humbled
Anne Organista
©
Copyright 2019 by Anne Organista
|
 |
Teaching
was not new to me. Neither was teaching ESL. But teaching English as
a second language to immigrants was a totally different ballgame. In
navigating this new arena where students’ quality of life
depended on their ability to speak, read and write English, I found
solace in this proverb, “We
can't
direct the wind but we can adjust the sails. . . ."
More...
The Sticker Weed Incident
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2019 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
Sara age 11
|
This is a memoir and a true, biographical
account of a sticker
weed battle that took place at my elementary between a group of fifth
graders. Mrs. Parsons, one of our teachers, wasn't too keen
when she found me, the lone girl, amongst the fifth grade boys
throwing sticker weeds at one another. Likewise, my mother
wasn't too keen on Mrs. Parson's notion that I should serve detention
for participating in the sticker weed battle. A battle between Mrs.
Parsons and my mother ensued. . . .
To Oz? Yes, To Oz!
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2019 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
Mother Winifred Christine Stainbrook-Etgen 1944
|
“To
Oz? Yes, to Oz!” is a memoir and a true, biographical account
of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The story details my childhood
thoughts and reactions as I was forced to grow up and face the very
real danger of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. . . .
Runt of the Litter
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2019 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
Dave, Sara. Eddie and Fritz von Etgen. |
This
story is a memoir vignette and a true, biographical account of my
childhood pet Dachshund named Fritz von Etgen. Although Fritz
was the runt of the litter, he was a mischievous, lively
Dachshund
with a huge heart. He not only was my confidant but also was
my
best friend. . . .
More Than Wrapping Paper and Colored Bows
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2019 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
 |
This is
a memoir and a true
biographical account of Christmas 1959—a tough season for my
parents financially.
During
that
season I learned that Christmas magic is powerful, but the power in
our hearts is even more magical. Our ability to love one another, to
renew our faith and bring hope into our lives and the lives of
others, are the greatest gifts to bestow and receive. . . .
Bampu and the Bear
Sahaj Sabharwal
©
Copyright 2018 by Sahaj Sabharwal
|
 |
Once upon a time, there
was a young, 12 years old boy, named Bampu . He was fond of wild
animals and had a visit to a zoo twice a week . He loved all the
animals and even take care of street dogs, cows and buffaloes. His
dream was to have a pet animal at his own
home too. . . .
More...
The Great Bat Hunt
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2019 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
New
England families abound in eccentric traditions, but I’ll lay
odds none can match our annual bat hunt.
When
I was a child, every summer without fail one or more bats would get
into the house, usually by falling down the chimney late at night. The
creature would eventually be run to earth and deported by the
only member of family who had the knack of chiroptera-nabbing—my
mother. . . .
The Mighty Mouse
Elizabeth Lloyd
©
Copyright 2019 by Elizabeth Lloyd
|
 |
The
Mighty Mouse is a story about youthful entrepreneurial adventures
and how one small creature can have a large impact on a many people.
. . .
More...
Unexpected Sunday Tourist
Lazarus Trubman
©
Copyright 2019 by Lazarus Trubman
|
 |
I was the only diner
in this tiny restaurant on the eastside of Chisinau, and the only
thing that irritated me was the mirror behind bottles. Every time I
looked up, I saw myself looking like a portrait of one of my own
ancestors: Lazarus Trubman, deep in thought, in a gilt frame. I had
circles under my eyes, a few scars on my face; apart from that I
looked alright for a man who survived four years as a political
prisoner in a Colony of Strict Regime in Northern Russia. . . .
The Healing Air of Freedom
Lazarus Trubman
©
Copyright 2019 by Lazarus Trubman
|
 |
Gorgeous
morning in the awakened city, fresh new green, the angled rays of the
sun glittering in spiders’ webs, birds twittering, the
fragrance of buds, grass drenched in dew, the air cool, bees hovering
around blossoming branches, Sunday, the tolling of a distant bell...
Spring in Chisinau!
It
had been months since I was liberated from the political prison in
Northern Russia. Behind me were dozens of blood transfusions,
restorative dental tortures, and scary talks with a cardiologist. I
had gotten my so-so bill of health and was waiting patiently for the
Soviet Immigration Office to approve my visa. . . .
Baikal
Lazarus Trubman
©
Copyright 2019 by Lazarus Trubman
|
 |
Travel
is my passion. I’ve been to many South American and European
countries, but my dream was always to visit Siberia. It couldn’t
be easily accomplished when I lived in the USSR. Things changed,
thank God, after 1985, and in 2008 my belletristic hope had been
finally fulfilled: I made the trip. It’s one of the most
amazing places on planet Earth! In 2012 I made another trip, and
since then I’ve written numerous short stories and essays. This
is one of them. . . .
The
1200 Days of Sister John Martin
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
(back row on ieft - Sister John
Martin, aka Kathryn Lynch)
|
Many
of us experimented with lifestyle alternatives when we were young. In
later life some freely discuss those experiences. Others bury the
memories deep into their core personalities, benefiting from lessons
learned, but never discussing them with others. This is the first time I have shared the story of my entrance into and exit
from religious life sixty years ago. . . .
The
Big C and Me - Part One
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2019 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
|
I am 81 years old, diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable bone
plasma cancer, in June 2017, when I sneezed and broke two ribs. I
went on a “Chemo Lite” regimen, two sets of pills and a
weekly injection. The injection toxins caused neuropathy in my feet
and added a rare auditory neuropathy that muffles my hearing, so it
was discontinued after a few months. My hearing remains impaired and
my feet numb. . . .
|
MY
FAMILY’S IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE: A DEPRESSION CHRISTMAS
John Cortesi
©
Copyright 2019 by John Cortesi
|
1904
photo of the saloon and pool hall in Radiant, Colorado. Four of the
men in the picture are great-uncles and cousins. |
My
father spent the years 1931-32 at his grandparents’ farm in the
Wet Mountains range of Colorado. He helped with chores and attended
the one-room, first to eighth grade, log cabin schoolhouse. My
great-grandparents were immigrants from Italy, Ottilia (Odorizzi) and
Enrico Menapace. Before buying the farm they owned and operated a
boarding house for Italian miners in Radiant, Colorado. Radiant had
79 houses plus a school, a company store, and the company-owned
saloon; the mine employed 125 men. . . .
A Successful Day
Laura Labno
©
Copyright 2019 by Laura Labno
|
 |
In
the light of the significance of love every other significance fades
away - This thought seemed significant to her.
It
was being played out, over and over again – She could hear it
in the sound of the Welsh rain hitting the bus windows, it was being
sung out by the melancholy of the grey street the bus was drifting
through, it was resounding in the sound of the rushing cars. It was
being played out by her own breath and by the sound of the bus she
was sitting in – Such a particular sound, the kind only buses
can give, of course – She laughed. . . .
West Coast Karma
Elizabeth Lloyd
©
Copyright 2019 by Elizabeth Lloyd
|
 |
This
is the story of a wish list vacation. Drive Pacific Coast
Highway. It had been attempted twice before. Both
times it fell apart. Now on the journey, we would be hit
with an unexpected derailment to our plan. No way to
foresee that Florence was quietly waiting with a karmic trap.
Instilling a new found perspective and life long lessons, and
possibly a meeting with Santa Claus. . . .
Dying
To Be Cool
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
Both of my
parents smoked.
Dad blended
well with other men of his times—with a hat on his head and a
lighted cigarette between his fingers. Refilling his lighter with
fluid became a weekly ceremony during which he could not be
interrupted. Delay during this endeavor was akin to a man sitting
down on his own hat--unacceptable. There was never any talk or plan
in place to reduce the number of his “smokes”, getting
rid of his “smokes”, or redirecting what later became
known as second hand smoke. . . .
The Guides
Deon Matzen
©
Copyright 2019 by Deon Matzen
|
 |
What
could we do when we had guests that wanted to see the sites and we
had to work? How would they get around when they didn’t speak
Chinese? We didn’t want them to have the tours that regular
Americans had when touring in China where they were kept in tow by a
“group leader” all wearing yellow or red or blue hats and
not allowed to really see Beijing, just the approved locations. We
settled on the perfect idea, use our students. . . .
Food
Fight
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
We
imagine a food fight with teenagers slinging food across the room at
each other, soiling each others' clothes, decorating the walls and
the lights, yelling, screaming, and laughing. This is the true story
of a food fight which took place between two adults in a closed
office, Not a bite of food changed hands. . . .
Mikey's Gift
Deon Matzen
©
Copyright 2019 by Deon Matzen
|
 |
Mikey
figured he was now pretty grown up. Last year, at Christmas, he had
finally figured out that Santa was really Dad and Mom. Now that he
knew the truth, he felt he had grown up, no longer a baby. It was OK
that it was Mom and Dad, but it did take some of the fun out of the
holiday. Now he knew that it was about giving and love, not the big
guy who just delivered presents once a year. . . .
Angela's
Children
How
the Communist Legacy Turned Against Itself
In
a Once-Strong Union
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2019 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
|
In
May 27, 1981, dozens of General Executive Board members of Warehouse
Union Local 6 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union
gathered at the union's San Francisco office at 255 Ninth Street for
their monthly meeting. Standing in front of the South-of-Market
building drinking cans of beer were three Freitas brothers, Al, Sam
and Philip. All were members of the union; Al was a close ally of
East Bay Business Agent Roberto Flotte and had a history of union
tough-guy activity going back to Teamster efforts to intimidate
Salinas Valley farm workers in the early 1970s.
A
few minutes before 7 o'clock a car found street parking and five
Latino men, all Executive Board members, emerged, walking in a group
towards the union hall. The Freitas brothers attacked the five.
Philip Freitas knocked Lino Corral over a parked motorcycle. Lino
Corral pulled a pistol from his pocket and fired three times, hitting
Philip Freitas in the face and groin. The thirty-eight-year-old
Freitas fell dead, his blood spreading in a widening dark puddle on
the sidewalk in front of the union headquarters. . . .
More...
Shakespeare and the Zulu
Daniel Stantus
©
Copyright 2019 by Daniel Stantus
|
My house in Nsongweni. |
Recently,
I was browsing a Peace Corps website about the present living
conditions for volunteers in Eswatini a small country in southeastern
Africa. It was mainly nostalgia that brought me to this site. I was a
PC volunteer in Swaziland (recently renamed Eswatini) from 1970 to
1974. While most volunteers there today could expect to be living in
adequate housing with electricity, running water, and indoor
plumbing. However, in the more rural areas volunteers could still be
expected to live in more primitive conditions without the luxury of
these conveniences just as I did 50 years ago. . . .
|
The Man On The Train
A True Love Story
Sarah Byron
© Copyright 2019 by Sarah
Byron
|
|
This story is by the mother of
Valerie Byron, who is a member of our Winners Circle. Sarah is now
deceased but this fine story of her meeting with her true love will
live on. . . .
Thug Buster
How An Old Lady Restored
Peace And Quiet To Her Town
Kathryn Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
 |
Neighbors were shocked and
outraged when someone shot
the 82 year old man in the head and left him bleeding to death on the
floor of his own home. It was generally believed to be the work of
street punks since his TV and music system had gone missing at the
same time The old man was well known locally for his family had
lived for two or three generations in the town. He had raised two
sons and a daughter there, outliving his spouse, growing old
exchanging pleasantries with the locals. Friends said that he had no
enemies and that he was unlikely to badmouth or speak negatively
about anyone. . . .
|
Hangin'
Carol Arvo
© Copyright 2019 by Carol Arvo
|
|
Everyone
has a
“bucket list,” whether they realize and acknowledge it or
not. It might just be a nagging feeling in the subconscious, or it
might be right out there for all to see, but it’s there. Mine
was right out there for 20 years. Everyone knew I loved to
fly.
It was finally time to check this one off of my “bucket list. . . .”
The Times, They Are A-Changin'
Judith Nakken
©
Copyright 2019 by Judith Nakken
|
 |
I
was unhappy with the change in discounts for seniors, and initially
polite as I could be at the Customer Disservice counter. “These
new rebates are really niggardly,” I said, and didn’t
continue because of the look of shock rapidly turning to hatred on
her Caucasian face. “Oh, wait,” I tried to explain since
I know too well that today’s under-40’s have little
knowledge of the English language. . . .
Magic Broom
Elizabeth Lloyd
©
Copyright 2019 by Elizabeth Lloyd
|
 |
. . . .Glancing
back at the house, no mother in sight, the rule attempted itself one
last time. Stepping
out into the alley, I held my breath and waited for a scolding. It did not
come. The
rule was completely gone now. Each
step toward my destination brought reassurance that, yes, this treasure
could indeed be retrieved. . . .
A
Cultural Awakening in Swaziland
Daniel Stantus
©
Copyright 2019 by Daniel Stantus
|
 |
I
was a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1970 to 1974. It was a dream come
true for me ever since my hero John F. Kennedy introduced the program
in the early 60’s. The thought of travel to a foreign country,
living and working with the people, and raising the standards of
living for a third world people was so appealing to me. I came from a
family that had barely travelled to the next State, let alone
overseas. In fact I had never even been in a plane before. . . .
The
Lady Who Wears Dead Foxes
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
In 1970, I
had already been a fourth grade teacher for several years. Armed
with a Lifetime Teaching Certificate, I had decided on a four
year nighttime endeavor, entering the University |of San Francisco
School of Law program. I resolved that during the day, my teaching
efforts would not be degraded or curtailed because my primary
responsibility remained to the 43 fourth graders in my
class. This was before Teacher's Aids, teacher prep time or any form
of assistance was available. . . .
Topanga Canyon Fire
Doug Sherr
©
Copyright 2019 by Doug Sherr
|
 |
Topanga
Canyon connects the Pacific Ocean to the San Fernando Valley, where
the Valley Girls roamed. The Santa Monica Mountains rise to the east
and hills that stretch to Malibu define the western side. Water
trickles down the creek bed providing enough moisture for a variety
of mature trees and bushes that keep the canyon cool on desert-hot
summer days. In the midst of the urban horror of LA, the canyon is a
rural outpost that mixes the best of Appalachia and Carmel: In the
early 1970s, impoverished hippie artists of great talent lived in
shacks and raised goats next door to famous rock and roll musicians
and actors who argued with their agents while drinking goat’s
milk. Charlie Manson’s first murder happened on Old Topanga
Canyon Boulevard and Will Geer, Grandpa on the Waltons, had an
outdoor Shakespearean theater, Theatricum Botanicum, at the other end
of the canyon. . . .
More...
If You Ever Feel Like Giving Up--Keep Going
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2019 by Kelly Maida
|
 |
I
was inspired to write this because sometimes it seems
like there is not a light at the end of a tunnel and that we
sometimes quit right before we get to that light! . . .
|
Apology to a Blog
Kay
Harper
©
Copyright 2019 by Kay Harper
|
Photo (c) 2019 by Kay Harper.
|
It's
rare, I know, but think I owe my blog an apology. I’ve been so
caught up in “Encouragin’
Words,” my daily
devotional on Facebook, that I had been ignoring this blog. There
appears to be only so much of me to go around, but
from now on I plan to carve out time for this “God Is Big”
blog, as well for as my other writing. . . .
A Story for My Father
Eileen W. Fisher
©
Copyright 2019 by Eileen W. Fisher
|
 |
My
father always wanted to be a writer, but that was not practical. By
the time I was in fourth grade, I decided that I was going to fulfill
his dream.
My
mother called him Natie, he called himself Nat; his nickname was
Nissel. I called him Daddy. . .
More...
Summer of David
Elizabeth Lloyd
©
Copyright 2019 by Elizabeth Lloyd
|
 |
This is a true story. However
when sitting down to
write it, the only way to alleviate the writer’s block that was
happening was to change the names in the story. It was easier
to write it in the third person rather than insert myself into the
story again. . . .
Hunger
Kathryn
Lynch
©
Copyright 2019 by Kathryn Lynch
|
|
This is a
story about hunger which is never relieved, never goes away no matter
what advantages persons might achieve by the single minded pursuit of
the American dream. It is a true story, a sad story, one which made
me realize how lucky I was to call this country home. All of the
participants in this story have now died except for the author. Let
this telling honor them. . .
This is a
story about my Dad and Mom encountering
a Jewish person for the
first time. In the post Second World War era, Jews were any persons
of Jewish ethnicity no matter where they were located, and any
persons who espoused the Jewish Faith whether born into it or
converted to it. Andy Bageson may not have been the best
example of a
Jew, but he was the first Jew I ever knew with all his virtues and
all his flaws. . . .
Illumination
Laura Labno
©
Copyright 2019 by Laura Labno
|
 |
Sarah
was drawing at
her desk when suddenly one thought became very prominent in her mind.
An illuminated memory – Snails.
This
one day, a large amount of earth circulations ago, in a small poor
city, in even smaller and poorer neighbourhood she and her friend
were playing. They’ve collected an impressive amount of snails
and put them into a box. The idea was to open a Snail School. A Card
Box Primary Snail School. . . .
More...
Advice To My Daughters
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2019 by Kelly Maida
|
|
As
a survivor of domestic violence and I have been through both physical
and emotional abuse, I would never want anyone to go through what I
experienced. If I can help in anyway I would like to try. Today I was
sending my daughters a message and It inspired me to write this. . . .
The Saga of Pretty Boy Floyd
Isabel
Bearman Bucher
©
Copyright 2019
by Isabel
Bearman Bucher
|
|
My
retired husband, Robert, is want to go to garage sales. Over
the years he’s come home with a few treasures, but more often
than not, the objects are real pitch-out dogs. When he’s
forgotten about them, I usually toss them into the garbage or the
give-away pile. One year, he came home with Pretty Boy Floyd,
an American, three-toed box turtle, for which he paid the
handsome sum of five
bucks. The
turtle really was a beauty; ergo his name.
Brilliant
orange spots that resembled Halloween candy corn, flamed up
his
legs and was matched by clear blazing orange eyes. Holding
him,
he let you scratch his head, while his legs went like windmills. A
week later, he got sick. . . .
The Kaiser's Brooch
Helene Munson
©
Copyright 2019 by Helene Munson
|
. |
The
Kaiser’s Brooch is what I have been told about my
great-grandmother Marie Sophie Schmiede by my grandmother,
supplemented by my knowledge of German history and carefully
researched historical facts (Everything from the name of the Rabbi to
the Tzar’s children having measles is true.) My short story is
aimed at not just preserving a piece of family history but also
giving the reader an understanding of what lead up to Germany’s
disastrous 20th century history, weaving it into the story about my
great grandmother…and yes… I own the Kaiser’s
Brooch. . . .
More...
My
First Theatre Experience
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2019 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
|
I
love the theatre. I’ve been able over my eight decades to see
lots of plays, from street performers to first-class houses in New
York, London, San Francisco, and now, Tucson. I didn’t grow up
with theatre in my life. As a street kid on New York’s Lower
East Side the thee-A-ter was something uptowners with money did and
they did it uptown. We made do with the fourth-run Stuyvesant movie
house on Second Avenue, around the corner from twelth
Street
where I lived and across the street from the corner candy store where
we hung out, sipping sodas and playing the jukebox. . . .
Colorado
Memoir
Robert Flournoy
©
Copyright
2019 by Robert Flournoy
|
|
When I left the army in 1973 I headed to
Colorado to see
if some dreams could come true. I had been in love with the
mere thought of the Rocky Mountains since boyhood and could not wait
to get there. Colorado Springs was small then, Denver half
the
size it is today, its yellow dome not yet a significant trade
mark.
I bought a home in the shadow of Pike's Peak and could access a dozen
pristine trout streams in the foothills close to my house that were
full of fish. . . .
