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Scroll
down for the most recent stories. . . .The
people I knew worthy of a tale barely had two pennies to rub together
to make a third. But they knew how to put together a good time like
it was nothing more than a cocktail. I drank them up, intoxicated and
drunk on the lives and doings of the people around me who seemed to
be all in, all the time. I rode on their coat tails and enjoyed the
view. . . .
Fifth Grade
Etti Hazan
©
Copyright 2021 by Etti Hazan
|
 |
Last fall, my daughter turned 10
and began attending the
fifth grade, mask and all.
In
Italy, where I grew up, fifth grade is a big deal because it marks
the end of elementary school. Students who complete ‘quinta
elementare’
take
a test to qualify for middle school. . . .
Fear and Fire
Etti Hazan
©
Copyright 2021 by Etti Hazan
|
 |
I had neither seen nor smelled the fire. I
knew it had
been there, because I had been told about it. The woman had survived,
but her cat had not. . . .
A Few Hours in Frankfurt
Etti Hazan
©
Copyright 2021 by Etti Hazan
|
 |
In April of 2005, I flew from JFK to Rome, FCO to join
my parents for Passover. The flight itinerary included a stopover at
Frankfurt airport.
Frankfurt, Germany - 5:45 AM local
time
As our plane touches German
ground, I immediately
experience a wave of conflicted feelings. This is my first time on
German soil. Considering I have just spent over 7 hours on a German
airline, with ample space and good in-flight service, my sentiments
are kind of ironic.
The feelings more or less
dissipate once I enter the
actual terminal - after all, airports are in a generic league of
their own. My ever-dwindling Yiddish allows me to butcher the German
language while purchasing a much needed espresso. . . .
More...
Dodging A Scam
Talara Nolan
©
Copyright 2021 by Talara Nolan
|
 |
My
story is called Dodging a Scam. It is something that happened to me
before I had a daughter. While this sort of thing happens all the
time online now a days, back when it happened to me it was not so
common. I did meet my then boyfriend online and this is how he tried
to get me to marry his brother in order to bring him from Canada. I
am grateful that I was able to get out of that situation, as I now
have my daughter. . . .
Big
Foot, Big Deal
Laurel
Hendrickson
©
Copyright 2021 by Laurel Hendrickson
|
 |
. . . .Gather round the campfire and let’s freak
ourselves out by talking about an Oregon folklore favorite: Bigfoot!
Most people have at least one story about something uncanny that
they’ve experienced but don’t have a good way to explain.
This is the crux of Bigfoot fun- someone heard or saw something
strange in the wilderness and a special glee comes from it maybe-
just maybe- being Bigfoot. . . .
Pembera
Eve Levinson
©
Copyright 2021 by Eve Levinson
|
 |
This
story was part of an incredible month trekking and camping across
eastern and southern Africa. We had been on multiple safaris, gone up
in a hot air balloon, rafted the Zambezi River below Victoria Falls,
yet meeting rhinos in Zimbabwe was truly unforgettable. . . .
Crocodile Tears
Dawn Llewellyn-Price
©
Copyright 2021 by Dawn Llewellyn-Price
|
Photo by Joe McDaniel on Unsplash |
‘There’s
a good road, a not so good road, and a bad road’ Bernard our
safari bus driver had warned us as we left Nairobi Hilton, its foyer
awash with a great white wave of cricket bags. . . .
‘A
for Abtoss, B for Bulbul, C for Crow.’
I
learnt to recite the alphabet with the names of birds. Abtoss was my
baby word for Albatross, not the easiest word for a child to
pronounce. I’m not sure if this is a true recollection or a
figment of my memory. Probably the latter. It is a fact though, that
birds have been part of my life from almost the beginning. . . .
Encounter with a Young Giraffe
Rachel Friedman
©
Copyright 2021 by Rachel Friedman
|
 |
. . . .One
of the lovely things about living in Los Angeles is that we’ve
got a great zoo. It's not quite as famous as the one in San Diego,
but we still have a bird show, a petting zoo, and a secluded area for
baby animals. During one memorable period, these baby animals
included giraffes. . . .
Swimming With Serpents
Joli Villella
©
Copyright 2021 by Joli Villella
|
 |
Just
as the two summers prior, I could feel the excitement bubble over in
my stomach chasing away the last tendrils of anxiety, my ever present
friend, as each mile carried us further away from civilization and
closer towards freedom. I knew the moment I stepped from the packed
van and breathed for the first time in a year true nurturing air, all
my cares would fade away into nothing as mother nature flooded every
sense. This was the healing power of the Buffalo river, the sight of
our long awaited adventure. . . .
The Three Snakes
Naputt Thiravorachai
©
Copyright 2021 by Naputt Thiravorachai
|
 |
Over
the course of my life I have encountered three different snakes, not
to
mention
various others. I do not know whether it is a stroke of luck to meet
such interesting and exotic animals, or a series of unfortunate
encounters. . . .
Jack in the Box
Chloe de Lullington
©
Copyright 2021 by Chloe de Lullington
|
 |
I
think the day the jackdaw arrived would have stuck in my mind even if
it hadn’t been forever immortalised as the day the jackdaw
arrived. The main reason for its notability was simple: Mum was
having some Me Time. Mum didn’t do Me Time. A
full-time
carer for a disabled husband and two primary school-aged children
(one of whom – yours truly – also had a chronic illness
of her own), she never went anywhere without us. . . .
The Hippo Story
Michaya Marsh
©
Copyright 2021 by Michaya Marsh
|
 |
My
whole life, I have felt intense connections with animals of all
types. For hours I would perch on the windowsill to watch and
identify the gold finches and black-capped chickadees. If my parents
ever lost me, they knew to look outside and find me following a snake
or holding a newt. I would wander with the wild hares in Western
Washington forests and wade in the icy Pacific ocean to catch a
glimpse of the sharks in the waves. My mother quickly called me back
out, much to my chagrin. An unquenchable curiosity for all forms of
life has filled my whole being for as long as I can remember. . . .
A Regular Guest in the Guest House
Janis Boguzs
©
Copyright 2021 by Janis Boguzs
|
Photo by Tadeusz Lakota on Unsplash |
I
adore being close to nature, to get away from the city's rush.
Thereby I choose to go to one guest house, owned by my friends and
located in the middle of a national park. There can be enjoyed
everything there: relaxation beside the sea, late evenings under the
stars, all spectre of flora and fauna of nearby forest and the guest
house yard itself. . . .
Caught It For My Father
Ellen Urowitz
©
Copyright 2021 by Ellen Urowitz
|
 |
About
twenty years ago. My father was still alive. I don't remember how
old. He must have
been
fifty five ish. Still working everyday. Never packing a lunch
Always
going out for morning coffee afternoon coffee.
I'm
sure he's been drinking regular. That's four dollars a day times
five.
Wondering
why he's short on money. Thank goodness I'm working so I can help
out. . . .
More....
Seven Hundred on the Planet
Bettina Gantsweg
©
Copyright 2021 by Bettina Gantsweg
|
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Muggy, hot, sticky. Our
group of seven stood at the base of the mountain while bugs swarmed
biting naked skin. Excitement stirred within, waiting, waiting to see
them. . . .
So Close I Could Hear It Breathing
Lisa Reily
©
Copyright 2021 by Lisa Reily
|
Nilgiri langur - photo by the author |
This
is a story about a trip my partner, Ion, and I took to Thekkady,
India, to see the beauty and wildlife in Periyar National Park, but
we found that nature came to us instead. . . .
More...
My Dad Was A Smoker
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
|
He sat in a high backed wooden chair that
creaked with
the slightest move after dinner. Tobacco, in those days was
available in packed layers of leaves and fashioned much like a
cigarette package and to keep it fresh it was wrapped in cellophane.
After carefully cutting the plug into small portions that fit in his
pipe, he reached into his front right pocket and extracted a brass
colored bullet shaped lighter. The top was removed and with a flick
of his calloused thumb it burst into flame. It had to be tipped at
just the right angle so it caught the tobacco on fire but he didn’t
burn his thumb. The lighter was restored to his pocket. . . .
The Scent of Tiny Flowers
Pamella Laird
©
Copyright 2021 by Pamella Laird
|
 |
This
story was
told to me in the 1950’s by an aunt and uncle who lived in
Chertsey, Surrey, UK. I
did actually
meet the couple who were close friends of my relatives. Apart
from the
horrors and romance of their story I remember particularly how
anxious they were that they would care for the
dinner dishes
to make sure nothing was broken of their now treasured possessions. . . .
The Apple of My Eye
Lois Liu
©
Copyright 2021 by Lois Liu
|
 |
. . . .I
shot up from my limp state and groggily sat up in bed. While rubbing
my pink-tinted hand, I let out a deep yawn. I blinked a few times, as
though I was in an unconscious state. Staring out the window of our
New York apartment, the branches swished around as the wind
anonymously wailed to anyone who listened. The weather outside was
like someone who just finished crying, leaving everything in a mess. . . .
More...
The Lost Prophecy
Divine Walker
©
Copyright 2021 byDivine Walker
|
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash |
He feels a slight
tingling touch on his face as if someone is tickling with a
shuddering hand. The shivering cold causes the frost to bite on his
feet and hands. He could feel the tingling cold as soon as he woke
up. There is a man standing in front of him with a hunching back. . . .
The Senator
Ronald Keely
©
Copyright 2021 by Ronald Keely
|
 |
Richard
Blunt prefers to be called Rick. He’s a simple man and lives a
simple life and he is, for the most part, content. He’s average
height, but he weighs two hundred forty pounds and muscular. He
regularly lifts weights and exercises his abs and core. He has a
graying beard and his balding head is usually covered with a hat.
Around town Rick is known as grumpy and anti-social. He doesn’t
have a glowing smiling face because he doesn’t see anything to
smile about, but he’s not necessarily grumpy, he just doesn’t
like people that much. . . .
Into The Lion's Den
Marjorie Keyantash
©
Copyright 2021 by Marjorie Keyantash
|
Photo © by Wilson Chen |
. . . .“Just
stay calm…stay calm,” I kept telling myself as my heart
beat out of my chest. I knew what I was supposed to
do. From
my years of studying big cats I knew the proper protocol for what to
do when encountering a mountain lion but I had never had to put it to
the test... until now. . . .
Today
and most days when I think about the holidays, whether it is
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or the 4th of
July, it
brings me such joy and makes me smile. We, the Flaherty family, were
a small bunch with just the four of us, my mom, dad, brother and me,
until my nephews were born. . . .
Sustenance
Christinia Robertson
©
Copyright 2021 by Christina Robertson
|
 |
For
that one moment, we were all saved.
I
pulled up to the curb and saw my neighbor standing, wrapped in a
sweater, outside her house. “Thank god you’re home”,
she called as I got out of the car. “I need help.” . . .
Coog
Ciaran Doran
©
Copyright 2021 by Ciaran Doran
|
 |
. . . .A
rainy Sunday we headed into the woods after elk. The leaves were down
for the year, creating a rustling red and gold carpet so anything
within half a mile could hear us coming. Predators would pick us up
too if they got downwind. Coyotes are sensitive. A lot of people say
there are no wolves left in Missouri but I’ve seen plenty. They
might not roam in packs but nomads do cross the state border pretty
often. What’s a line on a map to a wolf?
Mountain
lions are the rarest of all in the Ozarks. There’ve only been
sixty sightings in the past twenty years. That amounts to a mere
handful at any time. Since deer are plentiful the cougars don’t
go hungry. It’s illegal to kill them though unless they’re
directly attacking livestock or a person. . . .
Our Owl Friend
Kay DiVerde
©
Copyright 2021 by Kay DiVerde
|
 |
We
were fortunate to have a baby Great Horned Owl who lived in our
suburban yard for several weeks. The little guy seemed to find some
comfort having us around, and we admired his majestic beauty. . . .
More...
Country Living
James L. Cowles
©
Copyright 2021 by James L. Cowles
|
|
When a young boy, I remember the
shock of seeing my Aunt Annie's house lit only by coal oil
lamps.
I had never seen such a thing and as I recall, there were only two
lamps, requiring a person to carry a lamp from room to room where
light was needed. How could this be, I wondered? We
were
from The City of Louisville, where everyone had electricity, but less
than one hundred miles from home, my country relatives were not as
privileged. . . .
The Raptor
Abram Gabriel
©
Copyright 2021 by Abram Gabriel
|
 |
Good
things that happened this past year of infamy. 2020
will
be pivotal just like 1929 or the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Or like the
Truman years or 1918 or 1945. Those years will
always be
associated with certain images in my brain. I wonder
if
they are for everyone? . . .
More...
Courageous and Coping in a Time of Crisis
Diane McLeish
©
Copyright 2021 by Diane McLeish
|
 |
. . . . I
decided to explore the challenges facing a small establishment on
Lamu Island lying off Kenya’s north coast. It had recently
changed hands and despite being closed to visitors and having no idea
of what the future of travel will be, the young managers have been
determined to bring the charming but jaded little hotel back to life.
Whilst pondering the obstacles they face, I also learnt of the
intriguing history of the architect and previous owner of this
tranquil little Swahili retreat. . . .
Salt Water, Milk, and a Jaguar Cub
Valerie Anne Burns
©
Copyright 2021 by Valerie Anne Burnes
|
 |
Key Biscayne holds my fondest memories as a
teenager
during the carefree high school days when I had close friends, and a
boyfriend. It gave me a connection I hadn’t felt during
childhood, and a big part of it was being surrounded by balmy beauty....
Michael Manley- Jamaica's Radical Prime Minister
and Non-Aligned Nations Protagonist
Legacy of Democratic
Socialism and Solidarity With Black Africa
Winston Donald
©
Copyright 2021 by Winston Donald
|
 |
Last
week Cabinet members for the new Jamaican Conservative government of
Prime Minister Andrew Holness was rolled out. The new government will
shape and promote polices that befits the economic and social
objectives of a debt ridden island state for the next five years. It
is the first time that a conservative government has upstaged the
Social democratic party, the Peoples National Party, the party that
was led by Democratic and Fabian Socialist firebrand Michael Manley
who is now turning in his grave at the massive loss at the polls of the
People’s National Party of the island nation of Jamaica
and its failure to even secure one third of the seats of
parliament. . . .
Pie First
The Second Course is Observing Abundant
Wildlife in Startling Shapes and Sizes
Marcia McGreevy Lewis
©
Copyright 2021 by Marcia McGreevy Lewis
|
 |
A determination to
scout out the best Key lime pie in Florida morphed into a rewarding
quest to observe wildlife I’d never encountered before. This
unexpected experience became a double delight. . . .
My Snail Hunting Adventure
Chukwuebuka C. Oguocha
©
Copyright 2021 by Chukwuebuka
C. Oguocha
|
Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash |
The
nature, and physical qualities of some creatures can be so deceptive;
therefore, making us not to believe that there are more to what they
are, and what they can do, than what we originally knew them for.
This is the case of some underrated animals, like the snails. . . .
The Unfortunate Hawk
Chukwuebuka C. Oguocha
©
Copyright 2021 by Chukwuebuka
C. Oguocha
|
 |
Who
would have thought that a predatory creature that maintains a very
far distance altitude in the sky, a raptor whose normal routine is to
soar higher even above the tallest trees could be caught with bare
hands without the aid of traps, or struck with any sort of weapon
specifically designed for it’s hunt? . . .
Critters: Part One and Part Two
Jan Callner
©
Copyright 2021 by Jan Callner
|
 |
A
dollop of peanut butter, check. A monster of a rat trap – two
heavy-duty jaws that snap with heavy-duty force – check. The
spot on the deck where evidence of animal traffickery has been noted,
check.
Somebody
or something has been nibbling my succulents. Droppings and nut
shells litter the space behind the recycling bin. Last year I trapped
six fruit rats after discovering one lounging in the grease pan of
the grill. I can handle nibbled succulents, but a rat in my grill is
intolerable. . . .
A Youth Called Brownskin
The Story of a Troubled Jamaican
Adolescent Influenced by the Hard Social Conditions of the Late 1970's
to Early 1980's
Winston Donald
©
Copyright 2021 by Winston Donald
|
 |
Gloom
and sorrow shrouded the chilly air of the February 1981 morn. The
shrubbery wet from the overnight dew , the tall Weeping Willows and
lush Guinea grass that lined the roadway to the old Spanish mortar and
limestone Baptist church created an idyllic yet somber atmosphere that
complemented the majestic structure perched loftily on the apex of the
Dry
Harbour Mountains in St. Ann, Jamaica. As I climbed the hill to
this rural church positioned like the last outpost in the American
mountainous west , I became overwhelmed with grief and pulled a white
cotton handkerchief from my inner tweed jacket
pocket , then mopped my sodden eyes lamenting the loss of a
needy but adventurous adolescent friend. . . .
Elusive
Diane McLeish
©
Copyright 2021 by Diane McLeish
|
 |
This
is a story of my
encounter and the search for an elusive and very difficult to find
wild animal called the Sitatunga antelope in a remote seldom visited
national park in Kenya. . . .
More...
Our Reason To Add An Animal Member To Our Family
An
Animal Will Teach Respect and Love and
also Bring Protection and Joy
To
Your Family!
James
K. Aumak
©
Copyright 2021 by James K. Aumak
|
 |
I recently read a letter to the
editor, in a local
newspaper, regarding a reader that just suffered the loss of her
family, a pet/dog due to cancer. I often read several local and State
newspapers everyday, as I like to be informed as to what’s
going on around me. . . .
Party
Crashers
Desiree
Kendrick
©
Copyright 2021 by Desiree Kendrick
|
|
This
is an account of me landing in a foreign land, where wildlife and
‘party crashers’ shocked my teenage inexperience. Come
along for the ride.
On the tarmac, hot
air rammed its way past the passengers and assaulted my face.
Discordant voices, transcontinental and indecipherable ricocheted off
the airport walls. I understood nothing except the gestures of
airport security. The Customs check-in line was like herding cattle
to slaughter. . . .
I Nearly Called My Baby Robin
Rachel Allen
©
Copyright 2021 by Rachel Allen
|
 |
The
late February sunshine was stubbornly pushing through the clouds,
blazing low in the sky and threatening to blind Graeme as he drove us
through the sweeping Brecon Beacons. He’d done his research
before we came, and found a walk that promised to be an easy to
moderate route through the woods, taking in no fewer than four
waterfalls. It sounded like just what we needed, a good dose of
nature to shake us up and blow away the cobwebs. . . .
More...
Nature's Path
Christine Law
©
Copyright 2021 by Christine Law
|
Photo by Sue Thomas on Unsplash |
My
early childhood memories come from the age of seven. When the family
decided to up sticks moving from Dudley an industrial Black country
town to Kingswinford. Kingswinford, a small village on the outskirts
of the towns, Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Dudley. It meant that
you had the best of both. Rural and town life style. . . .
When
I first moved
from the Midlands to Essex, I was surprised to find how friendly the
foxes had become. They would take it upon themselves to follow you
along the streets like tame dogs sometimes during the day and mostly
at night. People accepted this has the norm. . . .
Two in the Bush
Sam Smith
©
Copyright 2021 by Sam Smith
|
 |
It was a sunny day in late
April. My sister was at after-school swim practice, and I’d
made a new friend. . . .
My Children and Other Animals
Alex Byrd Jones
©
Copyright 2021 by Alex Byrd Jones
|
 |
Here
in Italy, where I live with my family, the cockroaches are small and
crafty things. You almost never see them. They stay well out of
sight, and their only desire is to be left alone with those
microscopic fragments of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that they might
be so lucky to gather here or there. I mean, who could blame them? . . .
Serendipity
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2021 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
Two cats by Theophile Alexandre Steinlen.
|
A
nice older couple stopped at my stall at a recent “Trash and
Treasure” market in Margate, Tasmania. The man was carrying a
block-mounted poster which caught my eye. It was a large
semi-abstract floral with the logo of the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston across the lower margin. . . .
The Same, But Different
Zahra Dot
©
Copyright 2021 by Zahra Dot
|
 |
When
I say that I live
in South Africa many people have images of me living among wild
animals and having lions in my backyard. This is not in any way true.
Wild animals and humans are, for the most part, separate.
But
there are occasions
when these two species are allowed to interact. There are several
game reserves and farms where these animals are kept and some even
allow limited interaction. This is a story of my interaction with one
of these wild creatures....
More...
Be Eager But Never Forget The
Warning
E. L.Teddy
©
Copyright 2021 by E. L. Teddy
|
 |
. . . .I
was 18 years old and I grew to love pastoral life which I grew to find
myself with passion. I was so interested in hunting and so I troubled
Dad until he educated me on how to use the gun which I understood
faster than expected because it was in the blood to know. . . .
Christmas Yokes
Nnadi Samuel
©
Copyright 2021 by Nnadi Samuel
|
 |
Winter
comes grey & dusty, like another vagabond experiencing it's
hangover on Lagos' belly. Every harmattan finds December eating weird
dishes in my head & other Christian homes left in my body.
Whatever goes into them becomes a fellowship— a wild synagogue
of shrimps hailing a boy not so full of grace. . . .
A Stranger From A Strange Land
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2021 by Kelly Maida
|
 |
Did
you ever feel different than others? When I was a child I played with
lucky rabbits feet and I had lucky charms. My favorite books were on
witches and magic. I was also highly intuitive and guessed things
about people correctly. I had no idea that I was an empath when I was
a child. People around me when I was growing up did not understand
why I was so sensitive. People could not understand why we were so
different. . . .
|
Remembering My Brother
Valerie Byron
© Copyright 2021 by Valerie
Byron
|
|
Today I learned that
my older brother, Dr. Alan Byron, is seriously ill in hospital on the
Isle of Wight in England. He is eight years older than me and
we have never lived together. As children, he was sent away
to
boarding school and only came home occasionally on holidays.
When I was twelve and he was twenty, my mother and I immigrated to
California and my brother stayed in the UK, having joined the
army. . . .
A Saltmarsh Sparrow Named Sal
Susmita Ramani
©
Copyright 2021 by Susmita Ramani
|
 |
For
five years, I lived and worked as a lawyer in New York City. In 2003,
I took off a few months between jobs, lived on savings, and roamed
around the city. Every day, I woke up in my high rise one-bedroom
apartment on 34th Street and 9th Ave. with a view of boats on the
Hudson, kissed my cats (Max and Oscar) bye for the day, went down the
elevator, chatted with the building’s doorman, Lee, then
wandered the city with one or more of my many friends who had the
flexibility to hang out at random times (who were otherwise actors,
dancers, personal trainers, restaurant staff, college students, and
so on). . . .
A Tale of Natures Achievement
Anna Boyle
©
Copyright 2021 by Anna Boyle
|
 |
The
day in question was special. A happy day. Jack was home. Back where
he belonged.
Jack
had been with us for about six weeks. We had been looking after him.
He wasn’t well when he came to us. He also came without a name,
so we had to give him an identity. After a couple of days, he was
named Jack. His gender was in question too – he could even have
been a Jacqueline. But for the purposes of discussions about him at
the time, and for this story Jack is ‘he’. Jack was a
magpie. . . .
1968 - A Very Bad Year
James Quinn
©
Copyright 2021 by James Quinn
|
 |
My
name is Jim, and I want to tell you about a very bad year for my
family. I am the youngest of seven
children. Five boys, and two girls. I was seven years old. Let’s
not forget our busy loving parents, trying their best to keep our
little boat from sinking....
Easter Sundays in New Market
When I Was a
Girl
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2021 by Cathy B. Bridges
|
|
One
sunny Fall Saturday afternoon approximately 10 years ago, my husband
and I took our little granddaughter to visit her great-great-great
grandparents' old home place. It was a beautiful day to enjoy being
outdoors, and childhood memories flooded my mind as we came up the
long driveway that ran along the side of a steep drop off. That
reminds me of the day my grandfather scared me when he backed up his
car too close to the edge. My brother and I were in the car with him,
and I just knew we were about to go sailing off into the trees. . . .
Covid-19 or Not?
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2021 by Cathy B. Bridges
|
|
One
morning in November 2020, my husband and I left the house with the
intention of going to Publix to get our flu shots and receive a
Publix gift card for doing so. There had been road work in the area
for a long time and the morning traffic stretched across the bridge
that day. Making a quick decision, we decided to turn around and go
back to a nearby pharmacy to get our flu shots. We had gone to that
same pharmacy for our shots in 2019.
After
receiving our flu shots, and I got a pneumonia shot also, we went on
back home. Later that night before going to bed my husband and I both
felt achy all over like we would with the flu, but we did not think
much about it. Neither of us have ever had a reaction to flu shots
before, and we get them each year. . . .
Coviditis Diary
Paddy Tanton
©
Copyright 2021 by Paddy Tanton
|
 |
I have been keeping a diary since
April 2020 entitled ‘Coviditis’ and am sending in four of
the weekly entries –
two
from spring to summer and two from winter to spring, each involving
encounters with wildlife. . . .
The Hawk and the Hare
Christine Stevenson
©
Copyright 2021 by Christine Stevenson
|
Photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash |
This story is 100% truth. It was a once in a
lifetime moment between me and my overly-active-with-wildlife
neighborhood. Large birds from hawks to buzzards hung around my home
in South Carolina. It never bothered me until it had a reason to. . . .
No Fishing
Caroline Travis
©
Copyright 2021 by Caroline Travis
|
Photo by
Richard Lee on Unsplash |
“I
think that’s an osprey,” said Paul, staring ahead into
the distance of the deserted coast.
I
scanned the sky, but could only see gulls.
“There!”
said Paul, pointing. When his prize failed to register, he spooned
himself in behind me, and with his chin on my shoulder, and his cheek
touching mine, he repositioned his finger. “There!”. . .
More...
The
Rocking Chair
Ruth Truman
© Copyright 2021
by Ruth Truman
|
|
“Granddad,” I called, “It’s time
for the Red River Valley Boys! Hurry!”
I turned on the prized
console radio and pushed the
rocking chair next to it, then ran to wake up my grandfather, still
in bed recovering from working all night on the railroad. It
was WWII and he was an inspector, keeping the trains running so the
soldiers could get to their assignments. It was an important
job. . . .
Albert Einstein and his Invention
Prakash Rawal
©
Copyright 2021 by Prakash Rawal
|
 |
Albert
Einstein was born on March 14 , 1879 in UIM,
Germany. He was not talkative in his childhood, and
until
the three , he didn't talk much . He spent his teenage years in
Munich, where his family had an electric equipme business. As a
teenager, he was interested in nature and showed a high level
of ability in mathematics and physics. . . .
Wael's
barber shop is in the Muristan District of the Christian Quarter in
the Old City of Jerusalem. Wael is a Moslem yet he chose to place
his barber shop outside the Moslem Quarter, a good business decision.
You
see his shop is close to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and he gets
heads to reformat among the many visitors to this site, as well as
among other visitors, and residents of all the quarters. . . .
More...There
was this shy yet fiery seventeen year old girl named Liza. Her hair
and heart were aflame, free, full, delicate and true. A quiet girl,
she expressed herself in art and poetry. Breathtakingly beautiful
watercolors and moving words. And I loved her completely for one
magical day in nineteen seventy nine. It was the best, most honest,
happiest day of my life. Why just a day? I’ll tell you. . . .
Her Voice on the Train to Milan
Alan Herman
©
Copyright 2021 by Alan Herman
|
 |
It
was a chilly October after midnight morning. I had walked from my
hotel laden with suitcase and backpack through dark streets and
across a highway before being welcomed by the lit, warm and quiet
waiting room of the Verona railroad station. Only a few people were
waiting for the rare east- or west-bound train. . . .
The House That Nature Took
Christine Hand
©
Copyright 2020 by Christine Hand
|
 |
Here,
in this leafy suburb of Queensland is the house that we decided would
be our forever home. Surrounded by large trees and shrubs, it
provides us with the seclusion we desire together with the nearness
to all amenities and the city centre. We share it with the local
wildlife, crows, bats as large as unfurled umbrellas, the laughing
kookaburras, magpies and rainforest birds nesting on the large trees
and the miner birds, blue-faced honeyeaters, rainbow lorikeets,
peewits and butcher birds on the smaller shrubs. Brush turkeys and
blue-tongued lizards rummage and ransack the garden while the smaller
garden lizards do comparatively little damage. By nightfall, the
possums emerge, some carrying their babies on their back, nipping
lithely from branch to branch and stealing the show for us all. At
first, they are wary of our colony of six cats, then they decide that
as fellow mammals they are part of the larger family. . . .
More...
Nanghala
Francine van den Berg
©
Copyright 2020 by Francine van den Berg
|
 |
Nanghala
is never far from my mind. After all, I owe her my life. If the old
girl is still alive, I hope she will owe me hers one day.
I
met Nanghala in the Eastern Cape. She was a star in an amusement
park. She put up a show for visitors three times a day, and in
between her stage commitments she would take visitors around the
premises. . . .
The Fatigue
Jay Liu
©
Copyright 2021 by Jay Liu
|
 |
Ever
since Connie Owens disappeared from the world with a noose on her
neck, a perverse sense of guilt and shame settled over me. It wasn’t
like I was that close to her or anything, as she had always been that
wayward girl sulking in the corner, biting her nails, but on that
fateful day in April I had felt it: a sick constricting feeling over
my heart, as if someone had grabbed and squeezed it hard. . . .
The Suicidal Pigeons of the I-80
Fernando A. Torres
©
Copyright 2020 by Fernando A. Torres
|
 |
Is
it a Russian roulette of the air? a macabre air race?
The thing is that in
an act that looks
like suicide, pigeons of all color and
sizes fly off
parallel to the busy freeway to violently died by the speeding
cars in a spectacular explosion of feathers. . . .
A
Child's Prayer with a Side
Order of Peas
Desiree
Kendrick
©
Copyright 2021 by Desiree Kendrick
|
|
When
I was barely five, I landed in the hospital with pneumonia. As a
child, I didn’t have any concept of how concerned my parents
were about my health. I was very ill. Although my parents and older
siblings filled me in later about details of this event, my memories
are simpler. This is what I remember from a child’s sightline. . . .
Birthdays Behind Bars: Inside the Juvenile Justice
System
Stephanie Wilder
©
Copyright 2021 by Stephanie Wilder
|
 |
After
a career of teaching students in prep schools, I longed for a career
change. Chance took me to the Juvenile Justice System and I got a job
in a juvie facility for teenaged juvenile delinquents. It was indeed
a career change, and it was an opportunity for me to step out of my
world of privilege and I learned much more than my students did. . . .
Severe Weather Reports
Pavel Filatov
©
Copyright 2021 by Pavel Filatov
|
Photo by ZACHARY PEARSON on Unsplash. |
For
Norman, life had always been somewhat complicated. There had always
been one thing or another which prevented him from achieving what he
wanted, and no matter how hard he tried, he always seemed to fail.
You see, there are two things you should know about Norman. The first
is that his whole life he’d dreamt of becoming a weatherman.
The allure of standing in front of that green screen, letting the
country know about the latest and most important weather conditions
was overwhelming for Norman, and he did little else but develop his
oratory abilities. The second is that ever since he could remember,
Norman hadn’t just been Norman. At no one time did he realize
this, but Norman had three very distinct personalities. Obviously,
jolly, weather-loving Norman was one of them, and perhaps even the
main one. The second liked to call himself Emilio. . . .
Norman’s
third personality was a giraffe. . . .
Pater
Pavel Filatov
©
Copyright 2021 by Pavel Filatov
|
 |
The man slowly
staggered towards the door. The house was large, with intricate
designs from the gothic era engraved onto its exterior. Judging by
the figure of Jesus with arms spread wide hanging above the door; the
man thought that this was a monastery of sorts, a house of God. Even
before he looked, he somehow knew that there would be no bell; it was
a very old looking house, from a time before such things existed. . . .
Sunday Morning
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
|
Leaving
his home he stepped onto the cinder and gravel mixed surface of the
three block street where he lived with his parents. The air was warm
and dry at nine o’clock this July morning contributing to a
crackling sound as he continued to walk. There were no sidewalks in
this area south of the Western Pacific railway that was parallel to
the street... At a point about 30 yards from home he turned to a path
leading through the eight foot high slab fence that separated the
activity created in the area of the grain elevators and coal bins
beside the railway. Two slabs had mysteriously disappeared at some
time allowing a shortcut to the down town region. . . .
|
Ode to Gleeville - The Town
That Defied Literature
or, The Hamlet That Could Outdo "Hamlet"
or, The Story of Gleeville - A Story Without Conflict
Emmet Kelley
©
Copyright 2021 by Emmet Kelley
|
 |
. . . .
In
normal society, the yes-man is an object of disdain , if
not of
ridicule and vilification, from
“the
William Whyte organization man” to the blindly loyal
supporters of autocrats like Donald Trump. But in
Gleeville, a
small town located somewhere in Middle America, the yes-man would fit
right in and, indeed, even blossom. For in
Gleeville, there
was the
community-wide agreement of
the general rule of law
of “
agreeing not to disagree”. . . .
|
Of the Holy Spirit, and Elvis
Carl
Winderl
©
Copyright 2021 by Carl Winderl
|
|
Everyone
has an “Elvis & me” story, or so it seems. Especially in these
glory days of the woeful by-gone past.
And,
I have one, too.
Only
mine, in the parlance of about every other movie these days, is
based on true events. . . .
Self-fulfilling Prophecy and Maria Ritter
Bonnie Crandall
©
Copyright 2020 by Bonnie Crandall
|
|
Here
she came
again. Every Sunday she came like clockwork. She was probably in
her late sixties, early seventies, under five feet tall, a little
round gnome-like person with rough hands, her silver hair pulled back
into a severe knotted bun at the nape of her neck with a lined face
that spoke of a hard lived life. She spoke with a heavy German
accent, and she was closing in for the "kill.". . .
Surviving a Brother's Suicide
Winston Wight
Introduction by David Wight
©
Copyright 2021 by Winston Wight
|
 |
At
age 18, my elder son Rion enrolled in Cornell University’s
School of Architecture with a future full of promise. At age 22, he
committed suicide. This story is primarily a letter written
by his surviving brother
Winston depicting Winston’s search for
resolution, healing, and new meaning following his Rion’s
death. . . .
More...
Closure
David Wight
©
Copyright 2021 by David Wight
|
 |
In
1955, my mother was stricken with polio and hospitalized for a year.
I was only four years old at the time and couldn’t grasp how
much her illness and disability would impact my entire family and her
for the rest of our lives. In 1996, my mother was stricken again,
this time with post-polio syndrome. . . .
The Kangaroo and the Pocket
Linda A. Dougherty
©
Copyright 2021 by Linda A. Dougherty
|
|
In
early May 2018, my life circled in the same holding pattern as it had
been since I was diagnosed in October 2015 with follicular type of
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was exercising, eating a careful
diet and taking natural supplements to boost my immune system. Every
day I went into a local middle school where I work as a one to
one special education aide. Every six months I saw the oncologist,
had blood work drawn and we hoped it would stay that way or a miracle
would happen. Cancer steals your life in unexpected ways even before
it kills, or almost kills you. But, you learn to live with new
rhythms in your life.
That
warm spring, my special needs student and I were busy reading books
about Australia because that what the seventh grade geography class
was studying. We read about koalas, wallabies and kangaroos. He was
especially fascinated by how tiny newborn kangaroos, the size of a
bean, crawl up their mothers fur after birth and nestle into their
mother’s pocket for the next six or so months, growing larger
and stronger while suckling their mother’s milk. . . .
Humor Is The Best Medicine
Linda A. Dougherty
©
Copyright 2021 by Linda A. Dougherty
|
Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash |
It
came packaged in my DNA direct from my dad, who I incidentally look
like, this dogged propensity to go to the mats to right wrongs. After
years of being the family bulldog, I’ve decided that I will
first try humor as in the old adage, “you catch more flies with
honey than vinegar." . . .
|
The Weird Dichotomy
Shivaji
K.
Moitra
©
Copyright 2021 by Shivaji K. Moitra
|
The battle of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata |
India
has long been known as the land of Gods and spiritualism. For ages,
the mountains, hills and jungles of our country have been the abode
of numerous sages and sadhus who practiced penance and meditation in
the lap of nature to gain the knowledge of the Gods and to attain
spiritual powers. Some of the monks mentioned in the Hindu religious
scriptures and epics like Agastya muni, Viswamitra muni, Vasishtha
muni, Kapila muni and Valmiki were famed for their immense knowledge
and legendary spiritual powers. . . .
More. . .
|
The Summer Petey Bob Turned Fourteen
Paul
Marion Fleetwood
©
Copyright 2021 by Paul Marion Fleetwood |
|
Just in case the reader is not familiar with my stories; I am an old
retired Aerospace engineer writing true short stories of events that
happened in my life for the benefit of my great-great
grandchildren.
I want them to have some knowledge of their heritage and of old
Pawpaw Bob (that is what my kids and grandkids call me). My
real first name is Paul but I was nick-named Petey Bob growing
up. . . .
Babies, Bikes, and Mothers
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2021 by Maureen Moynihan
|
|
Ever
since I was strong enough to carry a baby on my hip without dropping
it on its head, I worked. Growing up, I watched the drama of money
play out in my own household. My father made most of the money, so he
dictated that we ate Toasted Oats instead of Cheerios and wore
sneakers without the Nike swoosh as they were a flagrant
demonstration of white collar commercialism. . . .
Hiatal
Don Shook
©
Copyright 2021 by Don Shook
|
|
The
flatbed truck braked, but still hit the small boy who had suddenly
appeared in the middle of the road. Fifty feet away, rose-trimmer
in one hand, three-month-old baby under the opposite arm, Dorothy
Ann turned at the sound of the squealing brakes and muffled bump. Her
eyes widened in horror as her two-year-old son flew through the
air, tiny arms flailing like a ruptured windmill before crashing onto
unforgiving asphalt. Dorothy Ann’s urgent scream failed. Her
heart stopped She stood paralyzed. The baby wailed.
This
was my first experience with pain and injury. I can remember
neither. . . .
More...
No, Not. . .
Isabel
Bearman Bucher
©
Copyright 2021
by Isabel
Bearman Bucher
|
My Nonna Angela Irene Giana at age 15
|
I’m
an outdoor girl. In my earliest memories I’m wandering the
unknown reaches of the woods, remote shorelines and hollows
surrounding my home in Branford, Connecticut. Those were the days
when kids were booted outside and told to not come home till sunset. . . .
Quail Hunting in Callahan Florida
Gordon
Crenshaw
©
Copyright 2020 by Gordon Crenshaw
|
 |
It was
the first week in January 2003 when GG joined his hunting buddies
Vince Stevens, Wayne Helms and Steve Billmyer in a big quail hunting
trip down in Callahan Florida. Callahan is about 10 miles from the
Georgia State Line on Highway I-95 just north of Jacksonville. . . .
The Gift of the Magi . . .Kinda
John Bourges
©
Copyright 2021 by John Bourges
|
 |
They all stood
outside O’Henry’s Steak House on 6th Avenue
and 4th street, while one of the bartenders and
one of the
staff waitresses watched the owner lock up for the night.
“
Have a good
night you two.” He said and sensing that their relationship had
grown over the weeks, left it at that, without further comment or
remark and headed home. . . .
More...
Susceptible Otherworld
Don Shook
©
Copyright 2021 by Don Shook
|
|
Annie’s
call had not sounded desperate, just serious. “I’m
leaving the country and I may not return.”
Startled, Don could
only manage a weak, “What? When?”
“No. Today. In a hour. I’m at the airport. Please, meet me here. I must
say goodbye in person.” . . .
More...
Everything's Just Ducky At Our Place
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2021 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
A few
years back I went to the street market to get my week's supply of
fruit and veg, and what did I see but the Chicken Lady, set up under
a shady tree.
She
had several cages of chickens and a cage with a dozen or so
ducklings: three sooty hybrids, two large Muscovys and some cream and
tan ones that I believed to be Saxony ducks. For some time I have
wanted to own some of this breed, despite a friend's comment,
"Saxonys--aren't they the sort that come to your village to
plunder and pillage?" . . .
More...
Ted and Ned
Lew Goddard
Edited by Anne Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
Photo by Wiebrig Krakau on Unsplash
|
Two
old fictitious friends in their seventies and retired for quite a few
years struggle to make things happen and create kinships that promote
joy in their lives.
My
intention is to make the story interesting, intense and funny as
possible. . . .
Survival
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
|
It
was time to go for more grub.
That
sounded like an easy endeavour, but it would take the better part of
the day and perhaps overnight. The weather wasn’t cooperating
and it was beginning to snow. . . .
We
strive for excellence only to be met with failure many times. Certain
failures might not be academic ones, but they can be relationship
ones, occupational ones, and/or even organizational ones. In the end,
our skills will be all that is left of this. My current skills that I
earned through LinkedIn Learning include Effective Listening,
Microsoft Office 365 Excel, and Bystander Training: From Bystander to
Upstander. . . .
|
The Underdogs
Shivaji
K.
Moitra
©
Copyright 2018 by Shivaji K. Moitra
|
|
On
the outskirts of the sprawling city of Bangalore where the lush
foothills of the Nilgiri range met the rolling plains, the swanky
villas of the city’s rich gazed suspiciously over the scattered
old colonies of the disadvantaged sections of the society. Away from
the city and yet not too far from it, the place on the fringe of the
forest offered the working class people both a decent home and the
convenience of reaching their places of work in the city. Their
meagre earnings couldn’t buy them even a dungeon within the
city but they didn’t regret their fate. . . .
Facing the Sunset
Charleine Sell
©
Copyright 2021 by Charleine Sell
|
|
When
your Grandpa Jack was a young man, he lived for 2 ½ years in
another country far away in Africa. One day he was busy preparing for
a two-week water project in the bush. He also was expecting a package
of work boots from his sister in the USA, and he hoped to get them
before he left. The project involved stomping through grass with
snakes like deadly cobras and mambas and walking across low streams.
Parasites lurking in the water could burrow unseen into his skin and
make him sick. The boots would help protect him. . . .
Whispering Wind
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
Photo (c) 2020 by Richard Loller
|
The
sky was completely clear and the moon shone in splendor such that if
I had a novel, I could have read it with the light. It seemed larger
than normal over that hillside in Washington State specifically in
the western foothills of the Kettle River Range. I estimated that the
elevation was near thirty-five hundred feet above sea level. . . .
More...
|
What To Do When Your Spouse Has Depression
A
Personal Story of Survival and God's Grace
Rodney Harrier
©
Copyright 2021 by Rodney Harrier
|
|
If you or
someone you know has situational depression, this article may help
and encourage you. It will also help the person who is suffering. You
are not alone!
There are stresses to every
marriage. We made it thirty-years, and it had been relatively
peaceful and happy. We had good communication. My wife was my best
friend…until she got depression—we didn’t know if
we would make it to thirty-one. . . .
They Don't Have Christmas in Viet Nam
Fredrick Hudgin
©
Copyright 2021 by Fredrick Hudgin
|
 |
This
story was written after I returned home from Vietnam in 1971. I still
smile, remembering that wonderful night when the war took a peaceful
breath and for a moment I was transported away from the combat zone
to a place where dreams are made from. . . .
More...
Fear
Patricia Sample
©
Copyright 2020 by Patricia Sample
|
 |
"Please!
I'm begging
you, think about the kids. I am your wife!" I
literally begged my husband not to beat me infront of our
children.
He didn't listen, he pinned me in the kitchen up against the
counter and started punching me then choked me. I ran to my neighbors
house and instead of calling the police I called his
parents. . . .
Ten Pound Note
Duah Francis
©
Copyright 2018 by Duah Francis
|
 |
Ten
Pound note , something you need to know when I started to cash in
paper notes all these
niggas turn to hoes
to dig inside my hole to fetch my euros . Whoa , how funny it was
stepping on the floor with Air Force though our feet were sore even
before reaching the store . Every month we made not less than
$1000.000 after selling these tanks. Tanks, yes I did mention of that
but not meaning tanks but
scam that's how
we confused
the cops. . . .
Gun Trouble
Lew Goddard
Edited by Ann Goddard
©
Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard
|
|
And
there
we stood, Pop and me. Pop had just fumbled in his pocket and found
the key to where I would be living, hopefully for a long time. Well,
living was the key word because my first impression of the “suite”
was not favorable.
Pop was my
probation monitor. I don’t know what his real name was but my
former inmates and I just called him “Pop.” His name was
related to his occupation, because he had the audacity of “popping
in’ without notice. He was a monstrosity being over six
feet tall and almost as wide, He was not fat. His solid build
radiated strength and we all knew how strong he was. . . .
Black Sheep of the Family
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2021 by Kelly Maida
|
 |
I wanted to share
this story with others who feel that they don’t fit in or are
misunderstood! You are not alone! We are here to create something
different!
We’re
you also the odd one out in your family? The one that didn’t
really quite fit in? . . .
The Boyfriend
Eileen W. Fisher
©
Copyright 2021 by Eileen W. Fisher
|
 |
Why
do first
loves seem to last a lifetime?
It was the summer of ’58.
We were members of the Shorehaven Beach Club in the Bronx. I was all
of thirteen, a time when having a boyfriend was the be all and end
all. . . .
|
Lofty Ambitions
Emily Hart
© Copyright 2021 by Emily Hart
|
|
Growing
up in a small
town back in the 50’s and 60’s was certainly different
than it is today. Yet I wonder if children really have
changed
all that much. What would today’s children do with a
dusty, cobweb festooned barn loft full of junk – if they were
lucky enough to find one? . . .
The Deer
and Other
Critters in New Market, Alabama
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2020 by Cathy B. Bridges
|
|
One bright and sunny autumn day,
my street got a surprise visit from
a big buck. I was at home cleaning when suddenly lots of dogs started
barking outside. Looking out the front door, I saw a huge handsome
buck in the middle of the road right in front of my house! . . .
More...
Sophia and Her Bear
Kimberly Pepin
©
Copyright 2021 by Kimberly Pepin
|
Photo by Alex
Blăjan on Unsplash |
One
dark night when the wind howls and the trees are going crazy there is
this little girl Sophia. She sits in her room wondering if she will
ever be good enough to be loved. Since her parents don't love
her. So on this day she packs some clothes and her favorite stuffed
bear and as her parents sleep Sophia walks out of the house as fast
as she could. . . .
Down and Out
Lew and Anne Goddard
©
Copyright 2020 by Lew Goddard
|
|
This
is a fictional story of what can happen in the winter where there’s
snow. Where,
you may never make it home if the roads are covered with snow. Snow
will pile up to six feet at times. When the wind blows in a blizzard,
if your car is outside it can be totally covered before the storm
passes. . . .
Journey With Mother
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2020 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
|
This
story is a true
account detailing a 1950s train trip I took with my Mother—a
trip that shattered my world, exposing me to the ugly truth of
segregation, racism, and prejudice.
I
stood in front of Union Station for the first time in 1959 hypnotized
by her 1916 Beaux-Arts style architecture—elegant cartouches,
balustrades, pilasters, arched windows, and pedimented doors. She was
a dignified, elegant lady who’d withstood the ravages of time
and was a venerable, steadfast, and familiar fixture of the downtown
landscape juxtaposed against a burgeoning, streamlined Dallas
skyline. But the future was quietly encroaching on her aristocratic,
almost sacred ground, and she appeared Janus-faced on that warm July
morning. . . .
More...
Pixie Dust and Quilts
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2020 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
|
This
story preserves my memories of my mother and her quilt making as well
as my appreciation for her gift of strength, courage, and heroism.
Mother
slipped the vintage key into the keyhole turning it ever so slightly
until the locking mechanism clicked open. She lifted up the lid to
Granny’s heirloom cedar chest. I closed my eyes and sniffed;
the air inside it smelled like my grandfather’s cedar cigar box
with just a hint of overlying mustiness. And the hinges—stiff
as an old man’s arthritic joints—complained as they
reluctantly snapped into place. But once open, dust swirled and
danced from inside the cedar chest into the cool, dusky air inside
Mother’s attic. . . .
A Book of Spells and Magical Enchantments
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2020 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
|
This
is the story of how I came to own a special
children’s cookbook. The story is also a bit nostalgic toward
the end as I reflect upon what the cookbook and the memories
affiliated with it mean to me.
Mother’s
rectangular-shaped kitchen was tiny—no more than 7 feet long
and 5 feet wide—which was to be expected since the house itself
was small, less than 1,000 square feet. And like most houses built in
the early 1950’s, the kitchen was designed primarily for
functionality, equipped with only the basics—a moderate-sized
refrigerator, a full-size gas range with stove, yet little countertop
and storage space. In fact, storage was so sparse that Mother kept
her pots and pans in the oven overnight and removed them the next
morning when she prepared breakfast. . . .
Teach the Children
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2020 by Maureen Moynihan
|
Photo by Bermix
Studio on Unsplash
|
An
hour before surgery,
the medical attendant parked my gurney in the hallway as if I was an
unwanted sandwich scrap left on a room service tray.
“Someone
will be
right with you,” he said.
“Like
when?”
I asked. . . .
More...
".
. . and a Happy New Year"
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
Photo by Ray
Hennessy on Unsplash
|
New
Year's Eve 2020 is going to be a very different event for most people
in the world. Who could have foreseen on January first of this year
that by the end of it we’d have experienced a modern plague
which would have damaged the global economy, killed hundreds of
thousands of people, and locked up millions more? Who could have
foreseen that a defeated President would refuse to accept his loss?
Which of our most experimental writers could have thought up the
conspiracy theories that have become the daily fodder of millions?
Thinking
about how strange this year has been brought to mind many past New
Year's Eves. . . .
Paul
J. enlisted in the army in 1967. After basic and AIT training, he was
sent to Vietnam where he carried a rifle with an infantry platoon in
the 1st Air Cavalry. He participated in 23 aerial combat
assaults, 3 of them into hot LZ's. He received five minor wounds,
stayed in the field, and eventually became a squad leader because
those ahead of him had been killed by hostile fire. . . .
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The Heaven of Motherhood
Hilary
Flanery
©
Copyright 2020 by Hilary Flanery
|
|
“St.
Julian the Hospitaller!!” I screamed on the Emergency Room
table.
“Poison
ivy, Mrs. Flanigan, all over your perineum.” The doctor
explained.
“My
pair of ‘what’?” I asked holding up the paper
examination gown against my body.
“Your
per-i-ne-um, your pos-te-ri-or end!” he repeated.
“Poison
ivy—on my ... popo?”
Did
I say, popo?
“Yes,
on your ‘popo.’” He said, washing his hands. . . .
More...
The
Box
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
It
brought back many memories when I mentioned to Gene that I was
sending this to you. Sometimes it seems like yesterday that
we
arrived in Swaziland—and at other times it seems like somebody
else’s story that we half-listened to at some boozy party. . . .
The Worker
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2020 by Maureen Moynihan
|
|
Ever
since I was strong
enough to carry a baby on my hip without dropping it on its head, I
worked. Growing up, I watched the drama of money play out in
my
household. My father made most of the money so he dictated that we
ate bowls of Toasted Oats instead of Cheerios. His power over family
purchases was absolute and unquestioned. . . .
Superwoman
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2020 by Kelly Maida
|
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I
grew up watching
cartoons of superheros such as superwoman and wonder woman. I
also grew up watching women work to raise their family while
maintaining a job. I always wanted to be like superwoman and be able
to handle everything. . . .
Photo of a Lifetime--No Film
Eleanor Dorst
©
Copyright 2020 by Eleanor Dorst
|
Photo by Zac
Durant on Unsplash |
I
am a Canadian
woman, who is from the central prairies in Winnipeg, Canada. Winnipeg
is a city “ smack dab” in the center of Canada.
Population around three quarters of a million. Most Canadians live
within an hour of the US border and we never venture much past that
boundary especially to the far north. . . .
MY MEMORIES OF TEMPLE METHODIST CHURCH
Frances
C. Crenshaw
Sept.
5, 1997
©
Copyright 2020 by Gordon Crenshaw
|
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The
Temple Church that was a large part of my life and the life of my
family was on Lucy Road. A brick building set back
under
the spreading
branches of a tremendous oak tree that shaded part of
the parking lot
that wasn't paved at that time. . . .
First Flight
Sharon J. Morris
©
Copyright 2020 by Sharon J. Morris
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|
This
story takes place in Irian Jaya, Indonesia when I was in junior high.
My
brother, Danny, announced at supper one evening, “I found a
nest in the kasbi (cassava) patch with three small eggs in it.”
It
was already getting dark, so I decided to wait until the next day to
take a peek.
After
breakfast, I took the binoculars to the kasbi patch. I found
the nest and peeked inside. There were only two eggs! . . .
More...
Red Casket
Susan Bludworth
Newton
©
Copyright 2020 by Susan Bludworth Newton
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I
want a red casket and I want it closed.
Wait,
I am rushing ahead. Allow me to start with my credentials. I have
attended well over 50 funerals to date. My mother had a large
family, so dozens from that pool. She outlived almost everyone she
knew, so there are a few more dozen. I worked at an ALS clinic, so
eventually - every patient. Throw in a scattering of people more
directly connected to me and it might be as high as 70. And yes, I
keep count. In a large, Baptist, Texas family, this is not tragic,
it’s braggin’ rights. . . .
The Red Rooftop
KC Chan Wing Haw
©
Copyright 2020 by KC Chan Wing Haw
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|
At
night, darkness falls, natural orange patch of cirrus scatters across
the wide abyss sky above the triangular shaped red rooftop and me.
Almost every detail in and out of the buildings expresses its
architectural history and cultural elements combine its effort to
show me what heaven and hell mean. . . .
Royal Gorge: The First
Annual Russell Towle Memorial Backpacking Trip into His Favorite
Wilderness - the North Fork American River Paradise
Tom McGuire
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom McGuire
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Russell Towle at Wabena Point |
This is an
account of a
backpacking journey to the bottom of the Sierra Nevada's Royal Gorge
- a cleft in the earth two-thirds as deep as the Grand Canyon. The
trip was an opportunity to honor Russell Towle, who was tragically
killed in a freak accident the year prior. Russell was famous in the
area for his extensive knowledge of Sierra Nevada wilderness,
geology, botany and history. . . .
Bird Whisperer: Reflections on the
Magnificent Otherness
of Avian Beings
Tom McGuire
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom McGuire
|
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This
story grew
out of a day camping on the river several years ago with friends, who
noticed my bird-obsessed behavior over the course of several days,
but desired a deeper explanation and a more nuanced context for my
extreme love and passion for Mother Earth's most fascinating
creations. . . .
On The Fence
Karen H. Curran
©
Copyright 2020 by Karen H. Curran
|
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I
got bit by a squirrel.
That’s right. A squirrel.
How
did I get close enough for that? I don’t typically feed
wildlife, but this little animal had been hanging out on our back
fence for months. It would sleep sometimes, stretched flat-out on its
tummy, and looked so cute. I named it Little Squirrel even though
there were often two of them on the fence. They looked exactly alike,
interchangeable for me, so I called them both Little Squirrel. . . .
Thirty-two
years ago, we were expecting our
second
grandchild. There isn’t much in this world that is so
spellbinding to grand parents than the birth of a grand child. She
was the first child our older daughter bore. She is Sarah. . . .
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Beautiful
Steven Hunley
© Copyright
2020 by Steven Hunley
|
|
.
. .Off
we go and I’m
all eyes out one window, while Barb is all eyes out the other. This
is the first time we’ve been out at night, and it’s quite
a display. What can you say about Manhattan? There are streets and
buildings and people and more people and they’re all in a rush.
Even at midnight somebody is out and about being busy. . . .
The Beach and the Bedpan
Dana Carpenter
©
Copyright 2020 by Dana Carpenter
|
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Being
in a wheelchair my whole life has led me into some peculiar
situations! Some of the more outrageous ones I like to write out and
share with friends. Enjoy! . . .
Learning About Legacy at the Tower of London
Ashley Weaver
©
Copyright 2020 by Ashley Weaver
|
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I was
beyond ecstatic when I was finally able to visit the literal and
figurative haunts of the country I had read and written about ever
since I read “Diary of …” in the fourth grade.
Prior to college and the foreboding reality of “becoming an
adult”, I followed up on my flight-attendant aunt’s
promise to take me anywhere in the world that I wanted to go after
graduating from high school. These were the ten days that would shape
my future as a historian, author, and eventual world-traveler. . . .
A Fond Camp Memory
Rachel Friedman
©
Copyright 2020 by Rachel Friedman
|
 |
Here
is an uplifting fact for all fellow campers out there: Just because
your method of transportation breaks down doesn’t mean that
your trip is ruined. I can attest to this personally based on a trip
that I went on over ten years ago. When our bus broke down in the
middle of a stream on the way to Zaca Lake. . . .
Of Half a Front Tooth and Sunrise on the Beach
Stacey Waithera
©
Copyright 2020 by Stacey Waithera
|
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My
friends and I had
saved up for a trip to the coast which we were to take after our End
of Year exams. Medical School is tough, and we needed to unwind after
a long year. We were pretty beat after our final paper but also
elated that we had a trip to make. . . .
More...
Adventure in Mexico
Jenny Lee McGinn
©
Copyright 2020 by Jenny Lee McGinn
|
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Ever
been to Mexico?
It
was an unplanned, completely out of the blue side excursion a few
years ago, and I am happy to say that we lived to tell the
tale…otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this. In fact,
it is quite possible if events ended differently, the incident most
likely would not have made any front page news, and certainly not in
Mexico. . . .
Winning While Losing: Gambling in Thailand
Maggie Dickmann
©
Copyright 2020 by Maggie Dickmann
|
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One
of the best things
about traveling is the opportunity to get to know cultures different
from your own. However, as much as I enjoy experiencing a new
culture, sometimes the stark differences from what I’m used to
can become a little overwhelming. It was a religious difference that
acted as a catalyst for my spontaneous jaunt into Thailand. . . .
Bad Experiences
Maggie Dickmann
©
Copyright 2020 by Maggie Dickmann
|
 |
Sunburnt,
with my hair in salty sea braids, and my damp bathing suit soaking
through my clothes, I stood outside the Malaga bus station last week
and wondered, How
did I let this happen?
After all
the traveling I’ve done in my life, how did I manage to get
stranded less than 100 kilometers from my house?. . .
Sharing the Sinai
Karen Kish
©
Copyright 2020 by Karen Kish
|
|
This
piece tells the story of our trip to Mt. Sinai during our three years
teaching high school at the American International School in Egypt in
Cairo. Because we were paying for our son’s college education
at the time, and because our salaries in Cairo were very modest, our
travel was limited to Egypt and Israel. Our Vermont friends were
visiting us for two weeks at the time; it was their first trip
outside of North America. Chaotic Cairo is quite the unusual
introduction to foreign travel! . . .
More...
Misfortune
Jeromy Wensley
©
Copyright 2020 by Jeromy Wensley
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My
cell phone began ringing: “BBBRING---BBBRING---BBBRING.”
I
snagged my cell-phone from the nearby kitchen table and said,
"Hello."
A
loud, electrified, slightly intoxicated Kyle responded, "Jeromy,
I'm having a party at my place tonight; you should take a road trip
home? It is going to be fun; besides that, it is only a few hours of
driving.” . . .
A Visit To My Village
Ehiaga Benjamin
Imhans
©
Copyright 2020 by Ehiaga Benjamin Imhans
|
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This
a story of one of my visits to the village, sometime in the
year 1997. It was fun to get to meet loved ones who lived most, if
not all their lives, in the village. . . .
More...
In the
heart of Asia lies a
multi-island country called Taiwan.
Even though the main island of the country is so small, it features
some of the world’s most fascinating achievements.
One
of its stunning world achievements is the skyscraper known as TAIPEI
101. . . .
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, Baguio, Phillipines
Jhermayne Ubalde
©
Copyright 2020 by Jhermayne Ubalde
|
 |
The
words glowed in the night air, tiny sparks dancing behind my three
year-old eyelids. It was light and dark all at once. It was shivering
and it was heat. The scent of burning wax; my mother’s worry
lines joining hands; a small wooden cross and a small wooden man with
arms spread out in welcome. . . .
We
had not been on vacation in years. Everyone else went on vacations,
why couldnt we? Well, to begin with, the costs of transporting one's
family were fairly prohibitive, AND then there would be problems
designed to not suit everybody such as: where to go, for how long,
someone to visit there, etc., etc., still , we decided to have a go
at it. If we camped outside in the fresh air, AND if we ate in the
same fresh air, everything should be fine, even in today's climate. One
problem remained: we had no camping gear! . . .
Great Fun on the Truckee River
Tom Williams
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom Williams
|
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When
we decided to spend a week in the Lake Tahoe area, my wife, Karen,
immediately went to Trip Advisor to see what there was to do. And
what did she land on? Truckee River Rafts! I reluctantly agreed to
at least consider them. I am not a fan of getting wet, but I figured
I could stand it, since she wanted to do it so badly. And when we
saw the rafts peacefully floating along the river as we drove by on
that first day, I said to myself, “Why not? How hard could it
be?”. . .
More...
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The
Little Rain Dancer
A Retold
Tale of the Rainbow
Geary
Smith
©
Copyright 2020
by Geary Smith
|
|
Somer
just loves to dance in the rain.
Just
let one drop of rain fall and Somer is dancing. She will
dance
in the puddles of rain.
She will dance in the front yard when it is raining. She will
dance at school when it is
raining. And, she will dance at the park when it is
raining.
Somer just loves to dance in
the rain. . . .
More...
The Toast Atop Cullihan's Cairn
Charles T.
Faulkner
©
Copyright 2020 by Charles
T. Faulkner
|
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.
. .After considerable
effort we made it to the top of the hill, sweaty and tired. Then we
saw our destination: a large rock cairn named after a Cullihan which
Michael said we had to climb to complete our hike. This we did
without a problem after what we had climbed just before. The views
were awesome and we found an unsuspected artifact. Inside a plastic
bag was an unopened half pint of Jameson whiskey and a note. . . .
Binsar - Land of the Green and Cold Virgin
Aditya Pratap
Saha
©
Copyright 2020 by Aditya Pratap Saha
|
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Binsar,
once the summer capital of the Chand kingdom that ruled the
kumaons is located at an altitude of 2412 meters. It is a small town
in Uttarakhand known for the snow-laden Himalayan peaks and shady
dense forest. . . .
Land of Eagles
Kelly Keegan
©
Copyright 2020 Kelly Keegan
|
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This
piece is an exploration of reconciling my adventurous spirit with the
dawning realisation of how ignorant I was to the exciting stories
within my own country of birth, Wales, UK. . . .
The Beijing Journal
Deon Matzen
©
Copyright 2020 by Deon Matzen
|
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Can
a woman who is past middle age, and
cancer
survivor, who hasn’t had a television for thirty years and
has never eaten at MacDonalds, uproot her rural
lifestyle
and move to Beijing to teach Western Culture and idiomatic English in
the largest foreign language university in China? . . .
Chiloé Magic
Helene Munson
©
Copyright 2019 by Helene Munson
|
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Had
it been the tangy taste of the
orange-colored sea
urchins with fresh lime and cilantro, sold from a wooden harbor cart
by a man with long, jet black hair, wearing a coarsely knit wool
sweater? Or had it been the carefree frolicking of sea lions
accompanying my boat passage across the Chacao
Channel, that
had seduced me? Or maybe it had been the Brujo Chilote himself,
the sorcerer of Chiloé who had put a spell on me? .
. .
The Night I Slept in a Hotel Lobby
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2020 by Kelly Maida
|
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I
will never forget the night I had traveled to New York city with my
daughter Kaleigh. She was 20 years old at the time. And I was chosen
to be a contestant on a new Television show called the best game show
ever. I was nervous going to the city because of all of the traffic.
I live in upstate New York but its practically farm land where I am
from compared to the city. I booked us tickets for a bus and I did
not reserve a hotel because I was told that I would only be there
three hours tops so that would give me plenty of time. . . .
By Land and Sea
Marie Barski
©
Copyright 2020 by Marie Barski
|
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It
was late afternoon by the time we arrived at the port. I had never
been to a port before. We were met by an imposing security gate and
guards who meant business. Everything seemed formal and intimidating.
There were cranes and ships and people in uniforms, and cars and
people without uniforms, and big metal containers. Everyone moved
quickly with purpose. We parked our car and walked a distance to meet
the ship that would be our home for the next three weeks. . . .
Vacation Economical Any Time of Year:
Attend A Career Conference
Teddy K. Makarow
©
Copyright 2020 by Teddy K. Makarow
|
Photo
by Stephen
Walker on Unsplash
|
I’ve
visited
New Orleans three times-- once in the 80’s, once in the 90’s
and once in the 2000’s, all before Katrina in 2005. Each time
New Orleans was a destination for different reasons and each trip was
lovely and exciting. I only wrote about one: the conference in 1991,
not because it was the best but just because it was the only one I
wrote about. So here it is: the way New Orleans was for me in 1991. . . .
The Rain in Spain Did Not Stay on the Plain
Jeanette A.
Fratto
©
Copyright 2020 by Jeanette A. Fratto
|
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By
the time
our bus limped into the driveway of our hotel in Torremolinos, Spain
it resembled a MASH unit rather than a tour bus of happy travelers.
Almost half the occupants, including my husband, were in various
stages of recovery from food poisoning, acquired the night before at
our last hotel. . . .
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East Meets West
Steven Hunley
© Copyright
2020 by Steven Hunley
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Bette Davis in "Of Human Bondage."
|
A
few years ago, we went to Maui, hence...
Leopards of the Moon
Tom Mattson
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom Mattson
|
 |
It is a first-person
account of being in Nepal during the violent 2006 civil war when the
King's brother massacred the King and the entire royal family to seize
power in a Shakespearean bloodbath. The story is my journey
to navigate through the civil war and finally escape into the Himalayas
by climbing to Annapurna. . . .
Our Trip To Mentone, Alabama, High Atop
Lookout Mountain
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2020 by Cathy B. Bridges
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|
A
few years ago, we took a trip to Mentone with our friends. Although
we have lived in Alabama all our lives, there are so many places we
have not visited. Mentone was one of those places, and I am glad we
went. I booked a chalet at the Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort, and we
were all excited about going. We weren’t going to ski or play
golf—just peace and relaxation for a few days. . . .
Just Squeaked Through
My Travels During COVID 19
Pamela Breves
©
Copyright 2020 by Pamela Breves
|
 |
I
was
fortunate enough to travel to the North Island of New Zealand
recently! It was in early March so the Coronavirus hadn’t
reached the pandemic stage, or at least to our knowledge, so two of
my adult children and I took a chance to visit good friends and
attend a wedding. . . .
The
Right Place at the Wrong Time
James
Sclater
©
Copyright
2016 by James Sclater
|
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.
. .As I prepared to leave that
morning, I spoke again to my wife about how sorry I was that she
couldn’t go with me. She had chosen to remain close to home
after having suffered two miscarriages in the past two years. She was
then not quite six months pregnant and was trying to be very careful;
travel for her was not on the table at that point. . . .
More...
Alaska
Tom Mattson
©
Copyright 2020 by Tom Mattson
|
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It
was night. I was taking a ferry up the Inside Passage from Washington
State to Alaska. I lay shivering on the deck of the ship, staring out
at the black water and stars. I’d skimped on paying for an
overpriced room aboard the ship, electing instead for the cheapest
option available, which was sleeping outside on the concrete deck
under the night sky. . . .
You Are Sitting On It
Francesca
Battista
©
Copyright 2020 by Francisca Battista
|
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This is a moment I shared with a
lovely old couple of German
immigrants during my solo trip across Australia. The memory of their
house in the outskirts of Melbourne and their love story brings me a
smile even after years. The facts are real, the name of the people
have been changed. . . .
Wrong Turn At Rome
Sandra Atkins
©
Copyright 2020 by Sandra Atkins
|
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“Where
are
we?” I asked, surprisingly calm considering the news I had just
received from my son, Kyle. Before he could respond, another question
popped into my head. How does one land in the wrong country? We had
flown out of Rome in route to the country of Montenegro. But we had
just discovered that we had missed the mark. . . .
More...
A Walk in the Park
Rosalie Robison
©
Copyright 2020 by Rosalie Robison
|
Photo © by Rosalie Robison |
As
I
walked through the snowy park down the winding path past black trees
against a white background, I heard a door slam to my left. Glancing
that way I saw a man medium height with a short black jacket and
reddish brown mid length hair. I looked again. A strong resemblance
set my mind working even though I had taken a break from writing to
go for a walk. . . .
Rasputin Last Seen In Paris
Hank Nadler
©
Copyright 2020 by Hank Nadler
|
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While
travel can be broadening, travelling alone can leave one feeling
quite isolated. It was my first trip to Europe, and driving around
the continent, the sights and cultural ambience lived up to
expectations. However, except for the occasional hitchhikers, human
contact was negligible. Having hitched a bit myself, I was
open
to young Americans thumbing rides. . . .
Under Siege
A Memoir of Conflict
Lance Mason
©
Copyright 2020 by Lance Mason
|
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This
work recounts a
visit I made to the Irish Republic and to Ulster in 1970 as the
Troubles, ignited anew in 1969, were building toward Bloody Sunday
and the years of turmoil to follow. I had met two young Irish lads in
a London pub a few months before, and went to Ireland to fulfill a
promise I had made to them, and one to my mother to visit the home of
her long-dead parents. The memories persist. . . .
More...
Dr. Perez
Schadrac Junior
Ondongo Bongo
©
Copyright 2020 by Schadrac
Junior Ondongo Bongo
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|
Javier
Ernesto Perez Javier was a child passionate about medicine. Because
he thought it was a noble profession, the most beautiful profession
in the world he said. There is no more beautiful job than saving
lives, and favoring the arrival of a human being on earth. . . .
Walking the Camino
Jack Karolewski
©
Copyright 2020 by Jack Karolewski
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|
The
Way of St. James, also known as the Camino de Santiago, is a walking
pilgrimage route that has been traveled by millions of people over
the last 900 years. It begins in France and ends in northwest Spain
at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St.
James the Apostle --- the patron saint of Spain --- are entombed. . . .
Florida Redemption
Jack Karolewski
©
Copyright 2020 by Jack Karolewski
|
Photo by Atlas
Green on Unsplash |
It
was a cold, snowy, miserable March in 1972. I was attending Northern
Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. This college town is located about
65 miles west of Chicago, out among vast flat farmlands. Its historic
claim to fame is the patented invention of barbed wire by a local,
Joseph Glidden, in 1874. DeKalb is also known for its hybrid corn,
whose universally-recognized logo is a golden ear of corn with two
flying wings. All I wanted to do that gray and windy day was to fly
down to sunny, warm Florida over our two-week Spring Break –
specifically to see for myself the supposed non-stop college kid
party scene in Ft. Lauderdale. . . .
The Train to Harare
Lance Mason
©
Copyright 2020 by Lance Mason
|
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This
work is a reflection on several trips I have made to Africa,
but
especially my first in 1988, as I was immigrating to New Zealand, and
my second in 1998, on
a short-notice visit when my long-time friend
and college roommate was charges
d'affaires (acting
ambassador) following the Al Queda bombing
of the US Embassy in
Nairobi. I have tried to discuss the questions and challenges
of
post-colonial independence across Africa and across a spectrum of
viewpoints, always aware that I am visitor with all the limits that
implies. . . .
Vigilance
Rani Jayakumar
©
Copyright 2020 by Rani Jayakumar
|
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Every
few years, my family travels to India,
particularly Chennai, where my parents grew up. It brings us a chance
to reconnect with our heritage and help the children understand their
own history and culture. On this particular trip, we spent just long
enough to make note of the differences and similarities in ordinary
life. . . .
Tales from a South American Stormdrain
Mike Plummer
and Tim Foster
©
Copyright 2020 by Mike Plummer and Tim foster
|
Photo by Ryk
Porras on Unsplash |
A
nauseating wave
of emotional turmoil swept through me as I hesitantly queued to check
in my oversized Karrimor rucksack at Heathrow airport. Here I was, a
former junior sales assistant at John Lewis, with career prospects
and opportunities that most young people in the early eighties could
have only dreamt of, about to embark on an adventure of epic
proportions. My plan was to travel around the
world, starting
off in South America. I felt that if I could survive South America, I
could survive anywhere! . . .
Living in Bondage
Eberechukwu Obua
©
Copyright 2020 by Eberechukwu Obua
|
Photo by niu
niu on Unsplash |
“Thunder
will fire you.”
It’s
a popular phrase here.
Scientifically
incorrect yet carrying the message of an imminent attack from the
skies, perfectly.
Is it an insult? A curse upon the
heads of my enemies?
It’s a powerful polysemy. . . .
Scotland 2017
Gladys Swedak
©
Copyright 2020 by Gladys Swedak
|
 |
I’d
been looking forward to this holiday for three years. We were finally
on our way to Scotland. The flight I had booked had an eighteen hour
layover in Toronto from 12:47 AM
to 6pm the next night. We didn’t want to stay at the airport
all that time so I went on line as I had for the other bookings I had
made in Scotland. I chose an airbandb bed and breakfast and paid with
my credit card. . . .
Get Packing
Pk Robbins
Walzer
©
Copyright 2020 by PK Robbins Walzer
|
Photo by Anete
Lūsiņa on Unsplash |
When
it comes to tackling packing, I have a long way to go. I don’t
mean that my destination is distant. I mean that my skill set is
lacking in this department. . . .
Mezcal and Murallas
Ruscena
Wiederholt
©
Copyright 2020 Ruscena Wiederholt
|
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Our
guide Dari poured a thin stream of
liquid into
a
flimsy gourd cup and handed it to me. We were in a small cement
shack, the maestro leaning casually against one of the barrels lining
the wall. We were just another group of gringas, giggly ones at that.
Like so many he’d seen before, vacationers, Spanish words
sliding off our tongues in an awkward, anglophone way. Dari, in
careful Spanish, had explained mezcal production all morning. . . .
Near Death in the Gila National Forest
Don Lubov
©
Copyright 2020 by Don Lubov
|
Photo by Atlas
Green on Unsplash |
So,
here I am, waiting by the roadside for my
first hitch.
The weather is beautiful, and I’m feeling good. Good here means
a mixture of fear and excitement. I’ve got 35 pounds of food
and gear, and I’m ready to go. Hold on to your hat, that semi
is slowing down. . . .
Where Are You Going, Poet?
Daniel de Culla
©
Copyright 2020 by Daniel de Culla
|
Photo: Isabel Gomez de
Diego |
With
this bike
that’s going nowhere, I’m going to take a walk through
the streets of Ampuriabrava, Girona, where I’m spending a few
days and, if its tires aren’t punctured, I’ll travel
the world any other day. A World that normally has a lot to see and a
lot to suffer; but little to gain. A World in the power of some
greats, men and women, guarded by thugs, who consider us other lazy,
homeless people. . . .
The Masked Bandit of Tygart Lake
Jenny Lee McGinn
©
Copyright 2020 by Jenny Lee McGinn
|
 |
A
few years ago, we spent a fabulous weekend in rural West Virginia
with longtime friends from Ohio. The four of us rented a beautiful
cabin together at Tygart Lake State Park near the peak of autumn with
full myriad colors beginning to flourish. The structure was small
with a rustic feel, yet tastefully decorated with pictures of “lake
life” wall hangings and comfortable living room furniture. . . .
Finding Answers in Traveling
Lauren Barrett
©
Copyright 2020 by Lauren Barrett
|
 |
Pulling
up to our Airbnb, I
affixed my sea bands
to my wrists and did my best to ward off any further nausea. We were
here, San Francisco, at the start of our California road trip with
the theme being to capture the major league stadiums in our quest to
see them all. And instead of jumping for joy at finally arriving at
the destination of a much planned and carefully crafted trip, I was
cursing the high heavens for being in the throes of morning sickness
and food aversion thanks to a much unplanned and not carefully
crafted pregnancy. . . .
Lady Thrill Seekers Wanted - Dare
to
Drive an 18-Wheeler
Daria J. Walsh
©
Copyright 2020 Daria J. Walsh
|
 |
After
my divorce
in 2013, I thought long and hard about a "backup" plan in
case I was ever laid off from my day job as a prospect researcher in
the fundraising arena. I wanted a challenge, and had also
grown
up next to a neighbor who owned his own flatbed truck and was an
independent operator. He was the spark and inspiration for my
own interest in trucking, along with growing up with three
brothers.
I loved learning to drive a truck. . . .
A 'Dam Good Time'
Aashana Daru
©
Copyright 2020 Aashana Daru
|
 |
This
is a very real incident that happened to my family and I; 'A
'Dam Good
Time' is a short story about a summer vacation to Amsterdam, during
which the strangest medical emergency occurs and everything that
could go wrong, does. . . .
Divergent
Generation X
Patricia Sukore
©
Copyright 2020 by Patricia Sukore
|
 |
In the
olden days, in Nigeria, when children were
only supposed to be seen and not heard; their rights were withheld to
the extent that their health suffered in effect. This write-up
is meant to change the Nigerian
narrative as regards "literally" upholding the rights of
children. . . .
The Harz Mountains -
Witch Country in Germany
Eva Bell
©
Copyright
2020 by Eva Bell
|
|
A
German historian once said that witchcraft is as German as the Hitler
phenomenon. Germany was the centre of witchcraft in the 16th
and 17th centuries. Not many in the 21st
Century would claim to believe in witchcraft. But The Harz Mountains
still remain a popular tourist destination. . . .
The Long Trip
James L. Cowles
©
Copyright 2020 by James L. Cowles
|
|
When
he said I would need no training, that I, and for that matter, every
human being is already trained, I became suspicious. I mean, I
thought I would have to spend months in training, maybe over a year.
That would certainly seem appropriate. Surely there would be lots of
things to learn and then there was conditioning. I would have to be
in perfect physical condition, wouldn't I? But, he said no; he said
absolutely not! . . .
The Room That Leads Out There
Eunice Oladeji
©
Copyright 2020 by Eunice Oladeji
|
 |
Born into a Christian,
missionary home, Eunice was barely five years
old when she was strapped on a plane along with her sister and
parents on their way to Kenya. So, yes, she has traveled outside of
her hlme country, Nigeria but that was just for two years and that
was a long time ago. However, the memories linger and she would like
to share them. . . .
The Streets
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2020 by Lew Goddard
|
 |
Snow
had
begun gathering on the mountain tops back in the first part of
September, now in late October my job was finished for the season.
During the summer I had spent most of my time at high elevations.
Avenues for electrical transmission towers were being prepared and I
worked in the forefront helping to clear the forest and anything else
that could make it easier for the heavy equipment to install the
towers. . . .
|
Sarah's Story
Valerie Byron
© Copyright 2020 by Valerie
Byron
|
|
This
non-fiction account by
my late mother, Sarah Byron, was dictated to me. It
tells
the story of her life and sexual awakening in the early 1900’s
and her meeting, marriage and divorce with my father.
. . .
Jacey Cameron in the Lost State of Franklin
(Excerpt from the book,)
Judith Nakken
©
Copyright 2020 by Judith Nakken
|
 |
Jacey Cameron is
a twelve-year-old girl with a magic Celtic necklace that takes her
back in time, to historical times or places little known in her 21st
century. In this first book of a trilogy, she whisks timelessly to the
almost-14th
state of Franklin as Jane, a bond servant to Franklin’s
governor. . . .Her adventure and what she learns serves Jacey well when
she returns
home. . . .
More...
Albie
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2020 by Cathy B. Bridges
|
|
All
my life, I have
had a pet. As a child, my pets were always dogs because my dad was
a dog lover and I never had a cat because my parents did not like
them. Being an animal lover, and a child, I was not picky and
probably would have tried to make a pet out of a skunk if given a
chance. . . .
1967 and the Hairpull Challenge
Betsy Shepardson
©
Copyright 2020 by Betsy Shepardson
|
|
So,
there’s this pressure it seems, to have girlfriends. A
woman must have lots of friends. Or a best one. Or
a
group. Or a gaggle. Or a “meaningful sisterhood”. . . .
The Drayman
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2020 by Lew Goddard
|
 |
My
Father was a Drayman. As long as I can remember my Dad was a
hardworking man.
According
to Webster a dray is a low cart without sides used for carrying heavy
loads. My Dad altered the definition by placing long planks embodied
with twelve-inch metal steel bolts that were flattened with two bolts
attached to the planks. These metal fasteners were inserted into
appropriately located holes in the bed of the dray. In the event of a
loose heavy load the one-foot sides kept the load from falling off. . .
.
The Autumn Plague
(excerpt from the book)
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
Would
you want to be the scientist who tells the President that 88% of the
population will be dead in nine days? John Callan is the man,
and he has worse news to follow: even when the Nanjing Flu’s
disease vector is identified, there’s not enough time left to
stop it.
How
Callan leaves his ivory tower and learns to live in the new and
frightening real world is the theme of “The Autumn Plague”. .
. .
August
An excerpt from Ellie's new book, Seen
from the Road
Ellie S. Thomas
©
Copyright
2020 by Ellie S. Thomas
|
|
(If you live where it
gets sweltering hot in August, as I do in Nashville, Tennessee, and
dream of the climate farther north, you'll enjoy this excerpt from
Ellie Thomas's journal
of a rural year at her home in the Adirondack Mountains of upper New
York State. . . .Richard Loller, publisher.)
August
1 and hot
again..we spent the day at the lake where it was blissfully cool. The
flowers are all in bloom and little birds are lively there. A
bit too lively, really because they decorated D's shirt so he had to
go change. We left, reluctantly, at 4 p.m.
I
found some elecampane in bloom this morning and picked one blossom. At
first, I'd thought it was jerusalem artichoke but a study of the
book showed my mistake. I picked a few more bluebells and something
we always called wireweed but which I suspect is a member of the
spirea family. . . .
More...
Once Upon A Mountain
Linda A. Dougherty
©
Copyright 2020 by Linda A. Dougherty
|
 |
I
learned many things during our five and a half years of living in
Morocco, and perhaps my year and a half of living in a village in the
Imlil Valley forty miles south of Marrakech taught me a
valuable lesson- don’t take yourself too seriously. . . .
Physics Test
Jerry Crenshaw
©
Copyright 2020 by Jerry Crenshaw
|
 |
Kent
said. “Don’t say nothing when I’m concentrating”.
I never had that problem myself.
I
was Kent’s roommate at UT in Knoxville while mom was tending
his quail business back home. Kent would fly home from Knoxville
every other weekend to Memphis. He was majoring in Engineering
Physics, “Slide rule Pool”. Engineering Physics (rocket
science) as we called it today was probably one of the hardest
curriculum at Knoxville. . . .
More....
The Christian Lebanese
Ronny Flatau
©
Copyright 2020 by Ronny Flatau
|
At
Janna’s house,with her husband, and grandchildren. July 27,
2018 |
Janna
was 16 when she got married, that’s what she told us. By the
time we met her, she was already 60.
It
was a hot summer day in northern Israel and me and my friends were
hiking. We were carrying heavy bags, and Janna saw us through her
fence. She took pity on us, and so She invited us in, to sit with her
over coffee. . . .
Duck Hunting, A Dream Relived
Gordon Crenshaw
©
Copyright 2020 by Gordon Crenshaw
|
 |
For
many years I have asked myself, what is the magic that makes a man
leave his warm home in the wee hours of the morning in freezing
conditions to endure almost unbearable conditions to get a chance to
bag his limit of ducks? . . .
The Men I Met Along The Way
Carrie-Jade Williams
©
Copyright 2020 by Carrie-Jade Williams
|
 |
It
began with the eyes. Like so many love stories. Romeo on his balcony
hoping for a glimpse of Juliet’s, Tristan and Isolde, Lancelot
and Guinevere. The list could go on but this isn’t about all
the great loves throughout history. Spoiler alert, this isn’t
even about me meeting ‘the one’. But this is still a love
story or a testament of sorts, to all the men I met along the way.
The ones I loved, the ones I didn’t and the ones who had no
idea I even existed. . . .
More...
Remembering Randall Jarrell
Teddy K. Makarow
©
Copyright 2020 by Teddy K. Makarow
|
|
Randall
Jarrell I knew only as a student knows a good teacher. But as I look
back to 1960, over more than 50 years ago, to those few short months
that I sat with others around his conference table in Writing
Workshop I, I can still feel myself there and I know now what I knew
then—Mr. Jarrell’s Writing Workshop was the most deeply
significant class I have ever taken....
Don't Drink The Koolaid
Linda A. Dougherty
©
Copyright 2020 by Linda A. Dougherty
|
 |
This
is both a catharsis for me and an invitation to my daughters to
understand my world which was so different than their own childhood.
It is a story of hope too, that we do not have to remain stuck in the
past but reconciliation is always within reach if we dare to make the
first steps. . . .
Unearthed
Denise E. Fore
©
Copyright 2020 by Denise E. Fore
|
 |
I
was born the sixth and last child of my parents’ marriage. My
parents were divorced a few years later and I spent my childhood
visiting my father during school breaks and holidays. I can still
feel the joy and nervous anticipation of waiting eagerly for his big
gold Chrysler to pull up in our driveway at the end of his
five-hundred mile drive to come visit his children. I was his baby
girl and like little girls do--I loved my daddy. . . .
A Gal with a Goal
Sharon Morris
©
Copyright 2020 by Sharon Morris
|
Photo by Bruce Mars on
Unsplash. |
“Trippin’
On Lactic Acid” was written in bold white letters on her dark
gray t-shirt. Her white mesh ASICS shoes with lavender and gray
accents slapped against the black track of the treadmill, set at 3.6
miles per hour, and her short brown hair bounced to the rhythm of the
jogging. Margaret gradually increased the incline to 7.5% to prepare
her for a 5K race up the side of a mountain in West Virginia, where
she and her husband Ken would vacation. . . .
More...
Who's That Lady?
Rolanda T. Pyle
©
Copyright 2020 by Rolanda T. Pyle
|
 |
Looking
out the window, I could see the snow blanketing the highway and the
streets. The limousine was crawling on this trip to and from the
cemetery - we had been in this car for seven hours. The burial
service was about 15 minutes. . . .
Me, Dad and Seven Shoes
Irene Joseph
©
Copyright 2020 by Irene Joseph
|
 |
It's
magical, how an assortment of fond memories can spring from a pair of
shoes from the past! When I think about particular shoes, memories of
me and my Dad appear. It is ten years this Christmas that I lost my
Dad, and so as a celebration of his life with me, here are seven
pairs of shoes, whose memories I'd like to share. . . .
More...
Wolfsheim's Watch
Ceci Hughes
©
Copyright 2020 by Ceci Hughes
|
 |
By
the time I graduated high school, it was a well-known fact among my
classmates that I hated Mrs. Cranston. I guess hate is a strong word,
so it’s probably better to say that I strongly disliked
Mrs. Cranston. . . .
Mummy, Me, Memories
Iris Leona Marie Cross
©
Copyright 2020 by Iris Leona Marie Cross
|
|
Not
knowing what had transpired behind the bedroom door I had slammed
shut in a rage still haunts me. All I know is my prophetic
words
that night had come to pass. “Mark my words mummy, from
tomorrow you’re on your own. I’m not putting up with this
nonsense anymore.” The next morning, my mother was on her
own. She was dead; and I was racked with guilt....
Shape Does Not Define Me
Diana Arriaga
©
Copyright 2020 by Diana Arriaga
|
 |
My
hands are stained
with despair and calloused with regret, a tattered map of who I am.
When I look down, I am standing on sin and dreams. I am living, but
my shadow is not. It is my grave, but not my death. This is the
beginning. . . .
More...
A Dangerous Welcome
Charlene Duline
©
Copyright 2020 by Charlene Duline
|
 |
As
our caravan of
three U.S. Embassy cars rolled through the dark, empty streets of
Monrovia, I wondered if this would be the last night of my life.
Liberia remained under martial law and a curfew had been announced by
Head of State Samuel Doe shortly after he and 27 other soldiers
disemboweled President Tolbert and took over the country on April 12,
1980. Doe had declared that no one was allowed on the city streets
from midnight to 6:00 a.m., and here was our small caravan of cars
moving through the capital city of Monrovia at 4:30 a.m. . . .
Bohemian Fruit Dumplings
Suzanne Caithamer
©
Copyright 2020 by Suzanne Caithamer
|
Photo
by Kelly Neil on Unsplash
|
I’ve
always thought my mother-in-law was kind of a character, but I never
realized how much until I started writing about her. I don’t
get to see her much nowadays, as she lives so far away, but she has
had a profound impact on my life in many ways. . . .
The John
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2020 by Moynihan
|
Photo by Robert
Reader |
Cancer
treatment is a
voracious consumer of a patient's self image. Sources of
unconditional love and acceptance are critical as we grieve
the
body that we once had.
It’s easier to get a turtle out of its
shell
than a husband out of the bathroom. . . .
She Was Only Eighteen, Only Eighteen
Iris Leona Marie Cross
©
Copyright 2020 by Iris Leona Marie Cross
|
|
For
a brief
period in my life, raging hormones had clouded my moral judgment
causing professional boundaries to become blurred. As I recall this
episode, I am left to wonder how far the pendulum of intoxicating
desire would have swung, were it not for the sobering effect and
timely intervention of that bombshell letter? . . .
More...
The Crying Couch
Kim
Smyth
©
Copyright 2020 by Kim Smyth
|
|
My
husband has always been what you’d think of as a tough guy,
strong, manly, well he’s always been my rock. I’ve
come to depend on his quiet strength to lift me up in times of need
and to keep me grounded when my body feels like it’s flying
apart. Then came the day we found out he had the “C” word
and that was the day his strength was truly tested. . . .
Cookie - 1954
Thomas Turman
©
Copyright 2020 by Thomas Turman
|
Photo by André Freitas on Unsplash |
I
was excited to get the card from the Denver Parks Department that told
me to report for work at 5:15 A.M., so I biked down here early. The
lone streetlight 25 feet down the road barely lights the shadowy,
brooding, one story brick building and dense bushes across the street
from where as I wait in the street. I am the first one here, but I’m
not really alone because I’m on the south edge of the city zoo. The
sounds of the nocturnal animals and birds are scary yet comforting at
the same time. I can feel and smell them out there in the cool darkness
of the June morning. . . .
More...
How
I Wake Up At The Backseat,
Asking God When?
Samuel Nnadi
©
Copyright 2020 by Samuel Nnadi
|
 |
Winter
comes grey & dusty, like another vagabond experiencing it's
hangover on the road's
belly. Every
harmattan finds December eating weird dishes in my head & other
Christian homes left in my body. Whatever
goes into them becomes a fellowship-- a wild synagogue of my dreams
hailing a Mary that isn't
so full of grace. . . .
Chipped Beef on Toast
Hannah Huber
©
Copyright 2020 by Hannah Huber
|
 |
Some
of the most
important people in my life I’ve met at the most unexpected
places. These people, although some of them have since passed away,
have taught me that choosing a less conventional way of living leads
to freedom. . . .
More...
Gone Past She Remains
KC Chan Wing Haw
©
Copyright 2020 by KC Chan Wing Haw
|
|
This story is about someone
whom I miss dearly and still she
remains inside me. She inspired me to be a writer.
She.
Molly Lee was her name. She had always been a source to ignite
independent education, a passionate companion to children and of her
own, someone who laughed and joked without tomorrow hinting another
strength to come. A lady of smiles that no longer existed in some of
us but remained somewhere near her hut of declining memories. . . .
More...
Still Here
Karen H. Curran
©
Copyright 2020 by Karen H. Curran
|
|
I
have a regular gig one Sunday a month, playing piano for a worship
service at a local assisted living facility. Most residents come in
wheelchairs, use walkers, or ride on electric scooters. Many of them
fall asleep during the service. I play several hymn arrangements and
lead in singing songs; then an elder or pastor from my church reads
and teaches from God’s Word. I try to speak with each resident
afterwards, but conversation can be difficult since some of them
struggle with hearing or cognitive issues. . . .
Snowballs With Syrup
Terry Mulcahy
©
Copyright 2020 by Terry Mulcahy
|
Old fashioned ice shaver such as Terry and
his brother used. |
Although
I do not remember the exact dates, my parents moved one last time as
a family in 1960, when I was about to turn ten. The snowball stand
existed for two or three summers between 1961 and 1966. Our parents
taught us how to make the sugar syrup. They bought our first set of
flavor concentrates to help us get started. We added more as our
business took off....
More...
Twenty-five Mother's Days Without Her
Cathy B. Bridges
©
Copyright 2020 by Cathy B. Bridges
|
|
Today
is May 27, 2020,
and mama has been gone 25 years and 15 days. She passed from this
life to a better one on May 12, 1995. That was the Friday before
Mother’s Day. I will never forget it. I was working for an
optometrist on the other end of town when my dad called with the bad
news. Mama had died. . . .
Ghost Meeting
Laura Labno
©
Copyright 2020 by Laura Labno
|
 |
She
opened the door and there she was. Somewhere in between a blurred
eyes-made picture from 8 years earlier and this very moment,
registered by the very same eyes. There she was. . . .
Trudy Hunzikar - Mother Courage
Eva Bell
©
Copyright
2020 by Eva Bell
|
|
Friendships
never die. They run through life like an enriching melody. We were
friends for seventeen years, and though Trudy has gone to hide among
the stars, the courageous life she led can never be forgotten. . . .
More...
Waylaid - Postcard From New York City
Martha Patterson
©
Copyright 2020 by Martha Patterson
|
|
It
was an emerald-green day in Manhattan – the kind of summer
afternoon when every bird in the city has a song. I knew how special
such a day was, since normally any birdsong there is drowned out
by taxis, trucks, and construction work. . . .
Best Laid Plans
Stephanie
Whitson
©
Copyright 2020 by Stephanie Whitson
|
Photo by Isaac
Moore on Unsplash |
The
idea was simple. Pack up our RV and boondock across California and
Nevada, continue through until we arrive in Louisiana. We wanted to
save money and figured dry camping was the best way to do it, while
still being able to travel. As with any best-laid plans, there will
always be hiccups. . . .
Hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail
on Vancouver Island
Lillith Foxx
©
Copyright 2020 by Lillith Foxx
|
 |
It
was an ambitious endeavor for a first-time
backpacker. 47 kilometers of wild coastal trail, in under 48 hours.
Between the bugs and the bear scares and the beers, we managed to
come out the other side alive. I hope you enjoy this adventure. . . .
More...
A Side of Bacon
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2020 by Moynihan
|
|
Fear
is not the
worst part of a disease; indifference is. Compassion
matters in medical care. It matters BIG. A patient will
remember every kind thought, prayer, word and card.
They
will also will remember what was not there at all.
The radiation technician executed
her duties with the
same bored detachment as an express lane cashier; I was yet another
item to scan. A box of Fruit Loops. A head of lettuce. A side of
bacon. . . .
A Conventional Riot
Doug Sherr
©
Copyright 2020 by Doug Sherr
|
|
A
riot exists for itself. It doesn't grow and sustain because of the
original outrage; that cause was extinguished in the first hours of
the riot. Sometimes the cause changes, but usually there no longer is
a cause at all. Here is my memory of one of America's famous riots.
. . .
Kismet Interrupted
Don Shook
©
Copyright 2020 by Don Shook
|
|
“Don,
Don they love you.” Mari Lynn Henry, Head of
ABC Daytime Casting in New York, barely containing her excitement,
exclaimed into the other end of the phone. . . .
Three Don't Dance
Don Shook
©
Copyright 2020 by Don Shook
|
|
Guilt
consumed me. “My, God, she’s married!” I thought,
the effects of the wine worn off. “You’re married!” I said aloud,
jumping to my feet.
Toni
looked perplexed, then scowled before saying, “So?”. . .
Moving Again
Hal Howland
©
Copyright 2020 by Hal Howland
|
Harold E.
Howland, Hal, Robert Frost, Charles Howland, and Elizabeth Howland.
taken at the Howland home near Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1961. |
Two
or three moves ago, I decided that the single most depressing thing
you can do in life is to relocate from one home to another. This of
course is a Virgo’s immediate response to the massive but
short-lived disruption that a government brat calls business as
usual. The most practical lesson I learned from that life of
continual uprooting is this: Always hire professional
movers. . . .
The Caller
Maureen Moynihan
©
Copyright 2020 by Moynihan
|
Photo
credit Quino Al
@quinoal
|
My
mother calls. She speaks in 24pt Impact Bold
font and
punctuates each statement with a fantastic sense of urgency.
“Maureen!!! This
is ya Mutha!!!!The lady who gave you birth!! Backwards!!”. . .
The Visit
James L. Cowles
©
Copyright 2020 by James L. Cowles
|
 |
It
was a good day. Dad picked up his new bi-focals and
could finally read without getting a headache, mom finished sewing my
sister Gloria's dress, which she had been working on for at least two
weeks and I picked up my brand new cornet and would be taking my
first lesson next week. Meanwhile, I had been instructed to practice
"buzzing" my lips and trying to get a good tone from my new
horn. . . .
Reflections of a Daddyless Daughter
Barbara Brockway
©
Copyright 2020 by Barbara Brockway
|
 |
My
dad was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease the year I was born. I
grew up with the specter of his death over me always, it was
something I never not knew, from the way adults cast pitying looks at
me, to the lack of money from the mound of medical bills, to his
bouts of suffering and the casual talk of his myriad of treatments
around our dinner table. . . .
More...
In Case of Emergency, Grab Your Seat
Marnie Devereux
©
Copyright 2020 by Marnie Devereux
|
 |
This
morning we are up before daybreak to catch an early morning flight to
Los Angeles. We are attending a wedding in Pasadena and I will be
introduced to, and inspected by, Dr Nick’s surrogate family in
the US. ‘Don’t worry, they know all about you’ he
says cheerfully, as if that will help.
Prescott’s
Municipal Airport is tiny. The staff multi-task, especially today as
their electronic system has gone down, so everything has to be
checked manually. Our little plane is basic, no frills. We are
advised in the departure lounge that there is no toilet on board ‘So
now would be a good time to go.’ You don’t get that kind
of personal care advice at Heathrow. . . .
The American Embassy
Marnie Devereux
©
Copyright 2020 by Marnie Devereux
|
 |
So
I'm sitting in the waiting room at Taunton railway station, about to
embark on the biggest journey of my life. This time tomorrow, I shall
know whether or not my visa application has been approved. I haven't
slept properly in two weeks, ever since the letter arrived inviting
me to the interview at the US Embassy in London. . . .
Upside Down Apple Pie
Marnie Devereux
©
Copyright 2020 by Marnie Devereux
|
 |
Of
course, it all
started long before that. It was just that the 'upside down apple
pie' incident was the first time anyone really noticed, apart from
me. . . .
Stuffed Cabbage and
Knishes
Eileen W. Fisher
©
Copyright 2019 by Eileen W. Fisher
|
 |
When
I think about my mother, what comes to mind is her reputation as
being a great cook. There were no cookbooks in my house, no recipe
files; everything was made from scratch. In a generation when most
women did not work, many found self-expression in cooking for their
families and friends as did my mother. It was her way of expressing
love for her family, and friends. It was her way to shine,
and to share. . . .
The Journey of 27 Roosters
Lori Hilton Brizius
©
Copyright 2020 by Lori Hilton Brizius
|
Photo by Arib
Neko on Unsplash |
Every
stray or lost animal has a journey. Every little soul has a story.
Working with animals in shelters is never easy, and for almost 30
years I’ve cared for all kinds including domestic, wildlife,
farm animals and reptiles. I never imagined that one day a scraggly
bunch of roosters would melt my heart. . . .
It Wasn't Funny At The Time
Patricia
M. Snell
©
Copyright 2020 by Patricia M. Snell
|
|
My
husband never tires of teasing me about the time I ran over him with
the lawn mower. He admits he should have given me a quick lesson in
how to steer and how to stop. . . .
A
Memory of Fox Hill and Grandview
Robert Flournoy
©
Copyright
2019 by Robert Flournoy
|
|
I
have often wondered if
luck is something that is doled out individually in our lives, some
getting more than others, some getting none at all. Looking back, it
seems that I was extraordinarily lucky as a boy and later as a young
man, surviving experiences that had scant chance of turning out on my
side. It was like I was front loaded with a life time of luck, not to
last forever, but there in the beginning, when I most needed it. . . .
What If. . .
Lew Goddard
©
Copyright 2020 by Lew Goddard
|
 |
Now
I have more time to spend without going to work. I found myself
searching back in memory counting the number of times that I could
have been injured and possibly die due to the circumstances. Some of
the situations were accidental, some were intentional and others just
complete stupidity. I must say that I knew the hazards when I
employed the actions. . . .
Women
and Children First: Paying
for the Crimes of Nazi Germany
Linda
Jonasson
©
Copyright 2020 by Linda Jonasson
|
 |
This essay is based on
the life of Elfriede Neumann, my husband's grandmother.
Winston
Churchill once said: "History is written by the victors."
My early knowledge of European History came from a Canadian
high
school textbook. Flipping through its pages, I saw vivid images of
Germany’s role in the Second World War: Wehrmacht soldiers
goose-stepping down the Champs-Elysees of Paris; Hitler delivering
rants to a crowd of helmet-topped heads, their right arms raised at a
45 degree angle; the Luftwaffe bombing London’s glorious St.
Paul Cathedral during the Blitz. . . .
The
Magic and Majesty of the Middle Ages:
Notre-Dame de Paris
Bill Ranauro
©
Copyright 2020 by Bill Ranauro
|
 |
In
April 1999, I made my first
trip to Europe. I
was helping three other teachers chaperone forty students on a trip
that would take us to Paris, Venice, Florence, and Rome over the next
two weeks. I was hooked on European travel after visiting Notre-Dame
Cathedral on my first day in Paris. . . .
The Secret of My Memories
KC Chan Haw
©
Copyright 2020 by KC Chan Haw
|
|
This
story is about how the world revolves around problems I view them as
vital as our current situation may beg us to rethink how our
actions can be a contribution to our present act. I am inspired
from my recent reading by David Halberstam ‘The Next Century’. . . .
Union
Rap
Albert Vetere Lannon
©
Copyright 2020 by Albert Vetere Lannon
|
(Labor
sit-in at South Africa Airlines, 1985.
I’m
on right, with SF Labor Council Assistant
Secretary
Jeff Greendorfer on left.)
|
Unions
are getting a bad rap these days, often with justification. Corruption
and embezzlement in the once-progressive United Auto
Workers, individuals in other unions helping themselves to members’
dues for their own personal use, officials bought off by employers –
these garner headlines while millions of workers with leadership true
to trade union principles remain under increasing pressure to roll
back the gains made over decades of struggle. Unions, which created
the much-vaunted middle class in the United States, are now at their
lowest membership levels since the Robber Baron Capitalism of a
century ago. . . .
More...
Why Do We Watch Scary Movies?
Kelly Maida
©
Copyright 2020 by Kelly Maida
|
 |
Why
do we try to
scare ourselves? As a small child, I am not sure of how old I was was
when I watched scary movies. My first memory of scary shows was
chiller theatre. I remember a big hand coming out of the ground. My
grandma asked me when I was little why do you like to frighten
yourself? . . .
Mothers Day Cards
Betsy Shepardson
©
Copyright 2020 by Betsy Shepardson
|
Photo by Jon
Tyson on Unsplash |
I
was maybe three years sober when I finally reached a point where I
could consider buying a Mother’s Day card for my mom. Done
enough inventory, looked at my part in the resentments. (plural).
Scouring the card racks looking for one that said “Thank you
for bringing me to the planet”. Or “Thank you, for trying
your best.” But those Mother’s Day cards, so sappy and
sticky, rang nothing short of phoney. . . .
My
Comfort in Discomfort: The Effects of Embracing Vulnerability
Genevieve Jaser
©
Copyright 2020 by Genevieve Jaser
|
 |
As I prepare to
enter into my senior year of college, I
was struck with a realization: upon my entry into college, I was
happy and excited, but I was met with struggling students, worried
peers, and unhappy people. When I arrived at my first-ever college
class, I noticed 20 students, like zombies propped up in chairs. Is
college really as boring as their faces led me to believe? . . .
Six Little Stories
Mary Murphy
©
Copyright 2020 by Mary Murphy
|
 |
A Little Story of the
Four, Sterling Silver, Coffee Spoons.
When
my father was
called up during WWII, the family left Alabama for San Diego,
California to be near where he would be stationed. At first, we
crowded into a motel; my mother, my dad's mother, my older brother
Bobby, my younger brother, Jack, then a toddler, and I. I was around
five years old when we moved. . . .
Past The Use By Date?
Karen
Radford Treanor
©
Copyright
2020 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
|
Just
before the whole world’s door was slammed shut in our faces, we
were at the recycling shop in Huonville, Tasmania. The shop is run
by the local council, and it’s filled with odd glassware, old
furniture, used books, pots without lids and lids without pots, and
et cetera. We were poking around in search of something we needed,
such as an undiscovered Sheraton sideboard.
In
a corner of a back room was a plain white shelving unit of no
particular distinction. You know the sort of thing: a low platform
made of chipboard with one drawer and two or three open-backed
shelves above. “$20 with contents” it said.
The
contents comprised a complete set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica,
including the yearbooks from 1965. . . .
More...
Max Performs for
the Last Time,
and
the Last Time, and Finally the Last Time
Mark O. J. Esping
©
Copyright 2020 by Mark O. J. Esping
|
Photo by Tim
Mossholder on Unsplash |
Max
studied to be an opera singer. He actually preformed as the crocodile
in the stage presentation of Peter Pan. Health interrupted his
singing career. He started a summer theatre called Broadway RFD,
which presented musicals during the summer in Lindsborg Kansas. He
played Santa Claus at Macys in New York City. . . .
International Baby Gang
Michelle Paul Imagawa
©
Copyright 2020 by Michelle Paul Imagawa
|
 |
I’m
a Texas girl—brought up around cows, cactus, bluebonnets, and
rattlesnakes. As a child, I expected to grow old in Texas. But it
turned out there was a sweet, funny, and handsome Japanese young man
at the university I attended in San Antonio. Thirty-plus years on,
here I am in Japan. We have 3 children, born and raised here on the
island of Kyushu. This is the story of my first baby. . . .
More...
Destinations
Lori Hilton Brizius
©
Copyright 2020 by
|
 |
When
I think of all the chapters of my life, all the exciting places I've
lived or visited I realize that I was never really alone, yet
somehow, my
voice
was but a whisper to those closest to me. . . .
February,
1987
My
brother drowned at Lizard Point in Cornwall during a raging gale. He
was thirty. One wild February day, a passing stranger found him face
down on a small beach. Paramedics carried his body up the steep path.
He was laid out on a slab in a police mortuary, three hundred miles
from home. His red Vauxhall Cavalier, a tank of a car, was spread in
pieces on the rocks; in the water. . . .
********************************
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