Crabby and Flirty
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
From the Oregon coast, courtesy of Mitch Rohse “I’ve been here 26 years,” a crab catcher tells the woman in the bulky…
The Notebook, Journaling, and the Good Habit of Scrawling
I have been searching my pockets for my mislaid notebook. This notebook of mine contains some remarkable entries: Underlined! My sickness is underlining important things; there is almost nothing but … Continue reading
Shyness is Nice, But…
I watched the boy watching the girl. He is cute, but with a very young face. He’s outfitted with the narrow black jeans and black hooded jacket of most guys … Continue reading
The Ideal
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
The young mother held her daughter’s hand as the tiny girl leapt off the curb, hustled ahead, then slowed down–her mother’s arm…
Nervous Vienna Notes.
Well, I confess: I’m working on a longer something-or-other that may-or-may-not be book-shaped, and it’s been taking a lot of my energy. I found this week I wasn’t really watching … Continue reading
When It Begins
I always loved twilight: it was the only time I had the feeling that something important could happen. All things were more beautiful bathed in twilight, all streets, all squares, … Continue reading
Totally Not Making This Up
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
The salesman gazes and grins at a tourist sitting alone in the outdoor café. Her chair points toward his shop. To investigate…
Seatmate
On the train from Novi Sad to Budapest, a woman parks herself right next to me, though half of the train is empty. Perhaps she wants a guaranteed seat next … Continue reading
Carry On
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
Several members of the Hajduk Split soccer team coalesced outside the airplane. Since the players were spry, many were the first out.…
What the Heart Wants
“I’m weak when I fall in love,” she says. “I walk on air. I lose my appetite. I can’t think straight. I’m not one to be sensible. My heart has … Continue reading
The Impatient Italians and the Fighting Irish
In Medjugorje, there’s a crowd of people entering the church, praying at the grotto, climbing steep hills in prayer. It’s a place of retreat, usually quiet, usually peaceful. This morning … Continue reading
Hand-Holding, Skeletons, and Snacks
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
Whenever I remember that I have a skeleton, I get a wave of anxious queasiness. In science classrooms, I would cringe at…
Prints
It’s the Department of Motor Vehicles, so no one is really crossing any items off their Bucket List around here. The lack of enthusiasm shows in glum faces, distant stares, … Continue reading
Concerto for Cello and Springs
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
An infant boy in red-footed-pajamas races down the moving sidewalk. His curly locks bounce as he bounds. Bystanders cringe as he nears…
Why My Nieces Get Books for Christmas (And My Eerie Paul Street Boys Coincidence)
The influence of early books is profound. So much of the future lies on the shelves… -Graham Greene. A Sort of Life. On my last trip to Europe, one of … Continue reading
You Can Lead Your Friends to Water, But You Cannot Make Them Mmm.
The girl is drilling her classmates, a circle of international students sharing at a table at the university food court. She wears black hipster glasses and a puffy coat. Her … Continue reading
It Takes One to Waltz
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
A boy in a hooded sweatshirt tips back his generic energy drink, then pauses under the illuminated sign for a dance studio.…
Booklove
Lost in my dreams, I somehow cross at the traffic signals, never bumping into street lamps or people, yet moving onward, exuding fumes of beer and grime, yet smiling, because … Continue reading
Give It Away
They arrive in a giant collection truck with the charity name printed on the side. When the man throws open the back door, it is already half-full of bags of … Continue reading
The Top Ten Search Terms: Seek and Ye Shall Find
Last year, I posted the most frequent search terms that led people to my blog. It used to seem quite random–for example, “Chuck Norris Drowns a guy in Rice” led … Continue reading
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