Anecdotal Tourette’s

My buddy, Lenny, mentioned that his brother was a civil engineer. Wham. My anecdotal Tourette’s syndrome kicked in. Do you remember the Groucho Marx show where if you said the magic word a bird dropped down? That’s the way my mind works—say the right word and a joke pops out. Anyway, back to Lenny’s brother. …

…cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy

a short piece on the hard pits in a long marriage I put the tube sock in the microwave. Two minutes and thirty seconds. Any longer and it would be too hot on my neck. Cherry pits. Now I just have to stand around and wait for the time to tick off. At my age …

From the Shore of Anna Maria Island

Two poems in the heart of winter No Time for Egrets The egret trailed a veil of bridal-white feathers as it eased delicate double-jointed steps toward the bait in my bucket on the beach on the Gulf I waved my rod at it “Git!” It moved three unhurried steps with the grace of a dancer …

Some things…You Have to Take With You

should grampas keep telling their stories? Rocco was sitting in the middle of the table surrounded by his three grandsons, two daughters and their husbands. His Chicago daughter had chosen the restaurant in Little Italy for his eighty-second birthday celebration. Unusually subdued that evening, he was not leading the conversational gambits, telling stories, teasing. It …

Pickleball Without a Net

It was December 12. Mild for Michigan. No snow. 45 degrees. But the local Parks and Recreation had taken down the nets on the pickleball court. I strolled by minus a Covid mask. After all, I was in a park, in the open and no one was anywhere near me. But, I paused near the …

Two Covid Inspired Pieces

Media and Masks I used to be on top of the latest media in the service of training and communication. But that was thirty years ago—an eon for exploding technological innovations. Not a straight production line, the development of media technology is more like a carousel that spirals up and up, constantly pushing new products …

I Don’t Run into You Enough

a sketch She was walking away, paused, half-turned back. “I don’t run into you enough.” Then she waggled her head, shrugged and walked on as if abandoning a random fancy. My thought was, that was flattering, Elizabeth, but I run into you just about right. Some connections should be moderate, moderated. Meaning, I enjoy you …

Hannah and Mandy Dog

Here comes Hanna. Her high heels tap, tap, tapping down our half-rural, no-sidewalk, dead end street after her shift at the retirement home where she works. PR and activities director is what she does there. Pinewood Acres is the name of the place. “More like Belly Acres” she crabbed one night over beers on my …

Connection in the Time of Covid pt.2

The first part of this story (if you’ve already read it) is a running start on the final lap I was chugging along barely faster than a brisk walk on my morning run around the park near my house. It’s not far, maybe two miles at the most. Just a good way to wake up …

Dry Eyes

Fun fiction...cudda happened I had my annual physical the other day…Oops, you’re supposed to call it chronic review or Medicare won’t cover it. So, during my chronic review, when the doctor looked at my bruised bicep, he paused and asked, “What the hell happened to your arm? Did you fall or something?”  I started to …