Helpful
When I get to 12D and place my bag in the carry-on space, a woman in her seventies is standing at 12B holding up her boarding pass for me to … Continue reading
Taxi Tidy
The man with distinguished gray hair wears tan loafers, navy slacks, a powder blue dress shirt under a brown vest. He looks dashing, and he’s sweeping. He clears cigarette butts, … Continue reading
Here You Are!
I understand a translation of “Buyurun,” the exclamation of the two young boys, is “Here you are!” They are calling it out, toting two huge bunches of flowers that they … Continue reading
Kindred Kid
She is wearing a magenta rain jacket with floral buttons. She’s probably in fourth grade, maybe fifth or sixth. She’s been watching me out of the corner of the eye … Continue reading
Siblings and ‘Staches
The youngest child of a huge family is drinking Ayran, a beverage made of yogurt and water, as far as I can tell. She is at a table packed with … Continue reading
Crossing Guard
I’m waiting to cross the street, watching for a few hustling taxis to pass, when I feel a presence on my right. I instinctively move a bit to my left. I am … Continue reading
The Humbling Scenes: Part II
So I knew I couldn’t walk to my Turkish class, and would need another plan. I stared at a map and felt some vague hope that if I went to a … Continue reading
The Humbling Scenes: Part I
If you have a good sense of direction, please never forget that this is a gift. Like those who can sleep in airplanes, you have been granted something very beautiful. … Continue reading
Camouflage
It’s a chilly morning. All the kids waiting on school buses are wearing coats, but many are also wearing shorts. By afternoon it will be warm, yet there are shivers right after … Continue reading
Mostar
I’m going through notebooks from my first trip to Bosnia-Hercegovina so I can use some of it in a novel I’m trying to finish. There’s something very humbling about re-reading my detailed record of … Continue reading
Greenland
In the flight from Prague to New York, the pilot mentions it’s a great view of Greenland out the right of the plane. All the window shades are lifted, sometimes … Continue reading
Looking Ahead
“The artist’s life: Are you a born writer? Were you put on this earth to be a painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can … Continue reading
I Spy
A couple and their toddler toddle through the hip Vienna neighborhood. As they come into an area with shops, cafes, and restaurants, the father lifts the tiny girl up onto … Continue reading
Take Me
I’m renting an apartment in Budapest for a week. It’s an adorable building in a great location. The apartment has the amenities I sought, it is quiet and clean. However, … Continue reading
The Storyteller
The man in the red Hawaiian shirt is telling a huge story to his friend while they wait at the bus stop. His gestures make it seem like a fish … Continue reading
Lightbulb in the Lighthouse
Before taking the lighthouse tour, visitors loiter at the Interpretive Center. A family with four children waits for the 1 pm tour. In the meantime, they explore the exhibits and … Continue reading
From the Subjects of my Blog, Perhaps
Vade Mecum I want the scissors to be sharp and the table perfectly level when you cut me out of my life and paste me in that book you always … Continue reading
The Lunch Date
The little old man settles into the booth with his wife. He sits on the same side with her, though the waitress set the menu on the left, expecting them … Continue reading
Special
“You say you’re not special because the world doesn’t know about you, but that’s an insult to me. I know about you.” –John Green. The Fault in Our Stars.
The Nice Thing About Strangers 