House for Sale in Shady Acres The question isn’t why your little world is suddenly going to hell. The question is what can you do about the black couple touring the house on your block where the sign just went up day before yesterday. The neighbors are calling and everyone’s asking what can be done before they buy it. Old Smitty is barely cold in […]
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Finding a Traveling Partner Two suitcases with wheels, packed with clothes needed for a week, rolled through the driveway, enter my RV class B. Before the key starts the ignition, I make sure to not forget my travelling accessories. In the passenger seat, my bobble head figurine shakes its head in agreement that I have a picture of […]
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Parents Night Emma used to do real good in school her mother tells her new teacher. It’s Parents Night at Ryland Elementary. Mostly mothers in attendance. What’s the problem, her mother asks. Fifth grade shouldn’t be hard for her. Emma’s never had a grade lower than a B, her mother says. Teacher says Emma doesn’t do her homework and talks a lot in class. Her mother can’t believe it. Says her […]
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sKiN by, Melissa R. Mendelson Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Are you cold? Are you warm? Are you awake? Are you aware? These questions ran on a loop. It seemed like with every hour, they greeted me as an old friend would, but no face accompanied these words. I remained alone, locked in solitude. My black arm rested across […]
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A New Etiquette “One stall for all” is a new scenario for Wilbur. Thanks to his wife, he knew in the past the right thing to do but now he doesn’t know what “one stall for all” calls for after he’s through: Is it toilet seat up or toilet seat down? Author Bio: Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri. He has […]
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The following is a collection of poems about Vietnam veterans and how their lives were forever changed by the horrific effects of the herbicidal warfare compound known as Agent Orange. A Life Without Guard Rails You think you got problems? You probably do but would you trade with Phillip, a Vietnam vet who still thinks Agent Orange lurks in every puddle […]
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A Good Customer I saw Al once a month for 30 years, maybe more, doing business together. He retired to hunt bear in Alaska, hook Tarpon in Florida, golf in Scotland. He had it all planned. Nothing would stop him. Months later I learned doctors said he had cancer of the blood. The outlook was bleak. I called Al and he said six months, […]
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Into White Love was the heart nestled in soft, white sheets, beating with beauty, and glistening with rays of life. Love are the lights in a mother’s eyes as she brushes the hair of her young daughter and then takes her by the hand to lead her daughter into the world outside, protecting her with her mighty wings, but […]
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Gasping on air and salt and though you can hear the soup cool an ocean deep inside the Earth is bubbling under your skull exhausted –it’s natural you wait for the soup to grieve louder and louder as if your arms were coming too close –wave after wave you scatter more salt and across the bowl […]
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It’s Snowing in Manila “The snow is always falling in ‘Fargo,’ cloaking the world in metaphysical confusion.” – Jessica Zafra The militant chided the child for singing “White Christmas” when the longest Christmas season isn’t white, in the absence of snow in these parts. (The movement would not give its imprimatur.) But it gets almost-white cold up in Baguio City. But […]
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