Instances of Falling
A man in Wichita, Kansas, fell from a 9-story apartment building. He fell over 90 feet, his body hurtling down at a rate of 9.81 miles per second. The papers said it was an accident. But none of them, not even the people standing on the street, noticed the man on the roof. They did not see him peering over the edge; they did not see the slouch of his shoulders or the lines around his eyes. They did not see him close his eyes and step forward; they did not notice that his eyes were closed the entire time. They saw something fall from the sky. They did not know it was a man. An elderly...
Read MoreBefore Sleep
Before sleep words titter totter under the bed, deep six in the recess. Passion Contents
Read MoreYoung Love
Arlan and Diana met at Freshman Orientation. She fantasized running her fingers through his thick, curly hair. He ogled her tight, round ass. By the end of their first week of classes, they shared breakfast at the Union every morning and dinner in the evening. A few weeks later, he mentioned that his roommate had dropped out, and no one had been assigned to his dorm room. She moved in, and they remained inseparable. Without ever really dating, they discussed marriage after graduation. Although their relationship seemed ideal, one thought tugged at the back of...
Read MoreThanksgiving
On the eve of Thanksgiving a woman phoned her sister-in-law to ask what she might contribute to their annual meal together. “You’re coming then, Amy?” asked the in-law. “I always come, Molly. We talked about it last week.” “Okay,” Molly said. “You don’t remember?” A pause ensued, then: “You come right along, Amy. Absolutely.” “How about if I bring a pie?” Amy asked. “Bring it, Dear,” Molly said. “Pies divide more democratically than any other dessert.” Pleased, Amy added...
Read MoreReading Between the Lines
His arrival was preceded by his reputation. Ziggy was a legendary hell-raiser. Not your old style boozer: the open a bottle of Scotch and throw away the top because it won’t be needed again. Ziggy was into everything. “Every day: four grams of coke, two bottles of tequila and a couple of six packs to wash it down,” he boasted on The Daily Show. “Why do you do it? Jon Stewart asked. “Is it some sort of crutch?” “Hell no. It gives me wings. Unnerstand what I’m saying, man?” “Weren’t you in the Betty Ford last year?” “Not for drugs, notfordrugs,” Ziggy sniffed. “I...
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