Wrong Turns
“I don’t mind if I make mistakes. It may be that in one of the blind alleys I may find something to my purpose.” –(Larry.) The Razor’s Edge. W. Somerset … Continue reading
The Flower Reverie
He sits on the bench outside the nursing home. He has long white hair and a full white beard. Naturally, he resembles Santa Claus. He also resembles a man at … Continue reading
Deli Girl
She is standing by the clear glass display and browsing the various meats. There are two women standing nearby, but after a moment it becomes clear that the girl is … Continue reading
Mrs. P
Today I went to an assisted living home to visit my first grade teacher. We reunited after over 30 years. The facility is in a lovely location with views of … Continue reading
Birdwatching
“Tavuskuşu var, tavuskuşu var!” The little girl is squealing over the presence of peacocks in a small aviary near the restaurant. Her calling spooks four white doves, who flap into … Continue reading
Car Dancing
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
The boy is a teenager, but also a boy. He sits in the passenger seat of a truck and dances in his…
Golden
They sit on the bench with their ice cream cones. She swings her legs as she sits. He hunches under his baseball cap. Without comment, they watch a man who … Continue reading
The Trigger Man (A Guest Post by Clayton Lovett)
My friend CL is insightful, clever and a gifted storyteller. He’s also been following and supporting the blog since the beginning. Since he’s living in Brazil these days, I asked … Continue reading
A Nice Lady
At a gas station in Missouri, two hitchhikers approach me while I am filling up. They are in their 20s, with backpacks and a cardboard sign. They ask if I’m … Continue reading
The Reading
I have an awesome story from a gas station today, but I am absolutely exhausted. Nothing I am typing is legible–so you know that’s bad news. This week, I wrangled … Continue reading
Blameless
Passing the produce market, a woman in a pink coat walks alongside her preschool child, and calls over her shoulder to her own mother who has stopped at the tempting … Continue reading
So when you’re out to dinner and…
As their parents sat at the table and talked, the children kept running around, hiding underneath and shouting at one another. These people’s happiness pleased Mevlut. Human beings were made … Continue reading
The Vocation
As people merge into a line to board our airplane, a Grandmother steps up and then steps back. She asks the boy behind me if he and I are waiting … Continue reading
Street Charades
The man is in a beret and a sweater-jacket with a high neck and a vaguely American Southwest pattern. It gets my attention because I’m in Budapest, Hungary, quite a … Continue reading
Your Easter Dresses, Love Grandma.
Originally posted on The Nice Thing About Strangers:
Grandma is buying the girls a pair of Easter dresses–the fluffier the better. Her two granddaughters stand close and grin. They love…
To Sit and To Read
It’s making an elderly woman nuts that I won’t sit in the S-Bahn train to the Vienna airport. She nodded to the seat across from her. She recommended it, offered … Continue reading
The Day Tour
The family traveled from San Diego to New York, New York to Istanbul, Istanbul to Kayseri, and then collapsed into a hotel room for only few hours before heading out … Continue reading
Where the Heart Is
Someone has let loose a dozen small red, glittering hearts made of some sort of plastic sheeting. They might be an accompaniment to a St. Valentine’s Day package, but I’m … Continue reading
Like a Shepherd
The little boy with blue-framed glasses rushes to the train with his mother. Then he turns in a shock as he boards. His father is not behind him. He’s looking … Continue reading
God Bless Darlene! :)
I’m excited to share an interview I did with blogger, adventurer, and all around lovely person, Darlene. 🙂 She asked me some questions about my book, my travels, and my … Continue reading
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