Caught, Captured, Heaven-Forbid Memorialized.
At first, the poet looks like all the other men at the table. He turns toward the PowerPoint slide of the painting that the panel was meant to discuss. The … Continue reading
Screening
Emir, one of the men working at security, introduces himself. Polite, friendly, grinning and testing his English. Austrian airport security seems a long way from home. He asks about my … Continue reading
The Secret
She walks sheepishly from the changing room and down the hall, tugging the dress around her hips, tugging at the tag under her arm. She leans her head out and … Continue reading
Solitude with an Encore
She’s sitting alone, yet she wraps herself in a full embrace under a red pashmina. She looks meek, but wears ballet flats with sparkles. A hardback peers out the top … Continue reading
On Dogs and Tough Guys
The slim, green-eyed teenaged boy wears the now-typical skinny jeans, flashy shoes, and puffy black coat. He stands with his elbows out a bit, holds his arms away from his … Continue reading
Giddy Arrivals
The young girls break free from the distracted travelers entering the main terminal. They spot their father straightaway, call “Daddy, daddy!” and rush to him by cutting around various legs … Continue reading
Mr. Postman Bring Me A Dream
She tugs at her left earring as she leans to her right, nearer and nearer to his mail truck. His gray hair lilts in the breeze. Even at seventy, she … Continue reading
To The Happy Couple
He is one single year old, toddling freely around the wedding during the toasts. He stops by a rather good audience member and distracts her. She acknowledges him politely, seeks … Continue reading
Solo
In the tiny café, one has to adapt to custom and share a table with a stranger. I receive a welcome from a woman with hip glasses and excellent posture. … Continue reading
The Chances We Take
Such a lovely moment in the airport to see the couple stop and kiss. In the spontaneous moment, their children take a few more steps, then turn to look up … Continue reading
Do You Hello?
Friendliness is my nature. This is such a deep instinct that I’m always the one saying hello when I pass people in public. In Vienna, when you say hello to … Continue reading
Mr. Independent
A little boy in a blue t-shirt acts tough, strong, fearless. He clutches a toy truck low at his side and eyes the passengers on the train. His father sees … Continue reading
Road Trip. Colorado, Kansas, and Who We Are
…we’re not born with unlimited choices. We can’t be anything we want to be. We come into this world with a specific, personal destiny. We have a job to do, … Continue reading
The March. Guest post by #theRedondoBeachDude.
On an early Friday morning three tiny travelers make their way to school. Passing shining blades of grass, the trio giggles and smiles with the brightness of the day. Hand … Continue reading
Step Dois, Três. Turn Dois, Três
The folk dancers gather, circle out, promenade, move to the music. A man in a brown hat calls out directions, and the audience whispers, “Is that English?” The Portuguese folk … Continue reading
Possibility
My new niece is two weeks old. This brings my total to two nieces. Naturally, I know that Addy, Savannah, and I will certainly be traveling like mad–once they can … Continue reading
Older and Wiser (and Eating Cake!)
The treadmills hum quietly and the pair of ladies speak loudly. Their grey hair bounces, they swing their elbows. When one says, “All right, here we go,” they turn up … Continue reading
A Love Story At Just Over Five Feet
The elderly couple hunches together over their soup. They stay like this, heads tilted toward each other, even as they finish. The waiter reaches under the bridge of their gaze … Continue reading
Citation
She was widely read enough to appreciate my literary wit but not so widely read that she knew my sources. I like that in a woman. I could say things … Continue reading
Self-Defense
In Vienna, I terrify a little boy who offers me his seat in the bus. He has a yin yang patch and an American flag patch affixed his backpack. This … Continue reading
The Nice Thing About Strangers 