The Nice Thing About Strangers

Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.

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

June 22, 2015 · 5 Comments

Compassion

She chooses her clothes carefully, this seems clear. Her shoes are leather, the hat on her head is fashionable, the hair underneath well-kept. She is staring ahead and muttering, shaking … Continue reading

February 23, 2015 · Leave a comment

Traffic Dynamics

I like to imagine the shuttle bus from the airport to Taksim Square is a tour bus for my band. Of course, I’m in this band with about 40 people … Continue reading

November 10, 2014 · 10 Comments

Wandering and Mispronunciation

A friend asked me, “What did you do in Krakow?” I smiled to myself because my chief activity was wandering. I walked for hours in random directions. I sat in … Continue reading

October 27, 2014 · 11 Comments

Just Enough

Post-fender-bender, the two men pull into the bus station parking lot to inspect the damage. Those of us waiting for buses watch with delight any activity that may pass the … Continue reading

October 7, 2013 · 10 Comments

Carried on the Wind

They wait at the crosswalk outside of the Echt Günstig, a pair of twenty-something women in t-shirts and skinny jeans. The woman with the very dark, very curly hair watches … Continue reading

August 30, 2013 · 2 Comments

Sundance Kid

The shaggy-haired boy has stopped his bicycle to watch a man on a machine unearthing blocks of cement. The boy plays with the strings from the hood of his sweatshirt. … Continue reading

July 24, 2013 · 9 Comments

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

May 3, 2013 · 14 Comments

I’ve Been Everywhere, Man

Two boys in shoes unsuited for the crisp day stand seemingly unaccompanied in the Vienna U-Bahn. There are several potential mother-types seated nearby, perhaps taking a break from supervision while … Continue reading

March 20, 2013 · Leave a comment

En Sonunda/Finally

Friday in Istanbul and a surprise: The Reason I’m Learning Turkish took the day off so we could hang out. Yay! *Beam!* Still, I like that reading habit you’re rocking … Continue reading

August 24, 2012 · 6 Comments

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