“Two words, Einstein, Stuntman Mike,” Chris said in a low whisper.
Frankie rolled her eyes.
“Isn’t that kind of three words. Besides it’s not just that the waitress vouched for him. It’s pouring cats and baby hippos out there. The car is dead and the tow truck is not coming,” Frankie whispered back.
With a firm tap, Chris moouched her friend’s forehead. Frankie batted her away. Lightning flash...
A thunderclap of Childish Gambino and raucous laughter stormed into the cool darkness of the driveway. Cedric was telling that story again, Neal deduced. He was elated he had chosen the ideal moment to step outside of Terrence and Mika’s Halloween houseparty. Cedric’s stories were not only endless but often inspired more stories and photos. Neal shivered despite his tartan Ulster cape. Pipe in hi...
I never thought I would be grateful
For the bruises
For the betrayal
from those I should have been able to trust
Ropey and keloid
These scars crisscrossing my heart
Are a network of beautiful
Once in the mustiness of a church basement
Over jet fuel coffee and nicotine
An old man told me
“That no one ever learned anything at a birthday party”
When I worked three jobs for one salary
When I dr...
Swollen green papayas and a stack of prickly pineapples, the row of fruits at Green Grocer Station grew more exotic. The produce outlet was quiet in the lull between the day shoppers and the after work crowd.
Past the banana flowers, a young woman pushed her cart around a man and an older couple. He looked up with recognition. Unaware she headed towards the back
Yams and Yukon potatoes and a ra...
“This is why you can’t find a boyfriend,” Peggy said as she jabbed another dark red stain on the customer’s blazer with a white topped straight pin.
Molly gave an exaggerated sigh and lowered the volume on her favorite true crime podcast, Serial Vox. The audio on the Babylon Beach serial killer was quieter but still audible. Her mother huffed and added another stain marker pin to the customer’s j...
When your feet were smaller than my hands
Ears like delicate shells
Your small arm flung free
No matter how many times I swaddled
I promised to be my best possible self
Bedtime stories and birthday parties
Cold hours on bleachers
You were always faster than everyone else
Remember our favorite tree at that little park
I wanted you to have the childhood I didn’t have
Detentions, suspensions, ar...
“Well unlike you diversified farm equipment folk the TR-70s are almost always female. Perhaps our original personality archetype was based on a primarily female dataset. I don’t know. I never looked into our origins. I just remember that it was quiet amongst my sisters. But not a stifling type of quiet, more peaceful and purposeful. If you understand my meaning,” Tess said
Her calm professional ...
Push Into the cave
wrap it up tight
show it the suns
toss to the longnight
With her tiny bluegrey tongue poked to the side, Fressel adjusted her needles. Poke the needle through, wrap the luff around from below, pull the loop through, and with a gasp of relief she pulled the orginal loop from the left hand needle. Her first urge was to dance but dancing she’s had learned the hard way equalled los...
92.96 million miles we are from the sun
On this not quite round sphere
Embracing us in a wobbly imperfect circuit
Of Goldilocks warmth
So the least I can do is get up
Groundwater like blood in veins pumps
From below to above to rivers to marshes to
Unfathomaly deep oceans Of mysteries
That evaporate up to clouds unfailingly to
Return as joyous tears down to a grateful earth
Rinsing my face w...
“Well I guess it was my Uncle Bill. I don’t know if you ever met him, my dad’s oldest brother. All of my dad’s brothers stepped up after he you know but Uncle Bill was the fun one.”
“I met him a couple times at Lorraine’s. Bushy eyebrows.”
“Right, right he had mellowed by then before the cancer took him. He got me into baseball. Beyond the majors, Uncle Bill loved to scout the minor leagues. He ...