The clock inches slowly closer to 8:00 AM. Her starting time. 7:05. 7:15. 7:30. I return for the fourth time to wake Sophie up. To get her out of bed. God knows what time she went to sleep. It could have been 10:00, it could have been 2:00. I was out by 9:30. But work … Continue reading Pest
Month: July 2017
Adult
“I have a personal question.” This is Crystal, my coworker—actually, she works for me. Her voice is barely above a whisper. She’s treading on dangerous ground. This is the first conversation we’ve had. “Why is there a bird on your truck?” A couple of years ago, I drilled a pair of holes into my truck-bed … Continue reading Adult
Solo
Working together. Complimenting one another. Picking up the job where another leaves off. This isn’t me. I go it alone. I do it all myself. I’m solitary. Solo. That’s easier to manage. I’m never let down. When I first met my step-sister she was in high school. It was a get-together at my father’s new … Continue reading Solo
I miss…
Intellectual bathroom graffiti: I F*@KED YOUR MOTHER! Directly beneath this gem, in a different pen, a different hand: GO HOME DAD, YOU”RE DRUNK! I’d like to stop right there. A flash-post. Call it done. Flash what? Not fiction. This one is real. On the bathroom wall of the Tune Inn, circa 1986. Every time I … Continue reading I miss…
Something to chew
From my Gratitude Journal. 7/20: Bitter, grainy. The aroma, when carefully considered, contains a whisper of something foul—a woodsy rot, perhaps a hint of cat pee. Regardless, each sip, like a bite of a decadent dessert. It fills my mouth and warms my body. Almost something to chew. My coffee is brewed in a stove-top … Continue reading Something to chew
Gratitude
“Don’t let your attitude affect your gratitude!” That’s me talking. “Dad! Shut up! You sound like a stupid kids’ TV show.” This is Eli, he’s eleven. Is he allowed to tell me to shut up? I guess so—when I’m being obnoxious. I’ve been saying the attitude/gratitude thing over and over. I say it like this: … Continue reading Gratitude
Great Expectations
Yes, I know that title’s already been used. ~ ~ ~ ~ “Hundreds of new followers? Isn’t that a good thing?” This was my daughter Sophie. I just told her about having my post featured in WordPress’s Discover. This happened on Sunday morning at 9:00. Seven hours later, Sophie was just getting home. She slept … Continue reading Great Expectations
Tethered
Raining. Stuck inside, riding the couch. A sick day from work. Bored, listless. The invasive, morning procedure now complete. Thirty-six hours of fasting; three hours sequestered in the loo; forty minutes of probing. Hungover from anesthesia and calorie-deficiency. I want to nap... or eat. The suction of the couch, holding me in place. Tethered. *********** … Continue reading Tethered
An itch I gotta scratch
My workplace is large. It’s a community center: a weight room, basketball courts, aerobics rooms, swimming pool, child care center, coffee shop. Tying it all together is a long, straight hallway—a hallway I travel several times a day. Gazing down the hall, I can be seen walking with purpose… on my way to get things … Continue reading An itch I gotta scratch
The Other Stuff 