Playing the Shell Game
According to Wikipedia, the shell game dates back at least to ancient Greece. A con man quickly shuffles a pea around beneath a series of shells or thimbles on a … Continue reading
Snooping into the Bedrooms of the Past; Following the Double Helix
Many people claim they don’t care who their ancestors were or where they came from. They look at the relatives they DO know and DON’T like and don’t want to … Continue reading
Secrets on the Clothesline (a story)
Love is the magic balm. Children are the purveyors of love, treating our worst injuries with sloppy kisses. She stood at the clothesline, her broad hips echoing the shapes … Continue reading
“…Suffer Little Children, And Forbid Them Not…”
We all knew, know, or were children who endured emotional crises that echoed into their adulthood. My mother used to say you can fix anything with enough love. As a … Continue reading
Love Nicely Aged
Some 27 years ago, I wrote this little sketch of an old couple in their first RV. We don’t have an RV, but the banter isn’t entirely unfamiliar to my … Continue reading
Maturing Our Patriotic Love
The crush that can precede love is lovely, passionate, and mostly blind. Marriages built on it generally don’t last, because reality tarnishes the glow. However, authentic long-term relationships take the … Continue reading
Too Long at the Fair (a short story)
What happens when a woman who has used her looks to navigate the world without ever finding herself grows older? Maggie smiled over the scrambled eggs, hoping her mascara hadn’t … Continue reading
Me Who?
#MeWho isn’t a movement. It’s a statement of invisibility. We indicate our respect for status or social power with our attention. Someone with great status can quiet a room by … Continue reading
My Real Grandma and Sugar Cookies
Grandma stands at the head of the kitchen table. “Go ahead and stir it up. I’ll do the cleaning.” “Oh, Gram.” A pause. I’m old enough to know better, but … Continue reading
How Do We Come to Be Who We Are?
Recently, a dear friend and I were wondering how people come to be the kinds of people they are. How is it that some are so astoundingly good and good … Continue reading
