Her breathing was labored, uneven. The simple, reflexive task of filling her lungs hurt and required all of her concentration. She was pulling deeply from the oxygen canister on her back. She should be elated, but her head was swimming…
We pass them everyday. Here in our cities, even in our small towns. Here in the richest, most powerful nation on earth, no; in the history of earth. My parents generation used the phrase “Down on his luck.” It was…
There were a lot of Chevys in my life. Belair, Nova, Caprice, Chevette, and even, god help me, a Cavalier. Oh yes, and there were a couple of Corvettes that may pop up later. The Chevette should be forgiven, because…
I’m remembering railroad tracks skirting the Hudson, a bridge crossing leading down to the river. We stand there in the summer dusk, watching the sleek streamliners pass under. Shades of gray and blue and white lightning stripes. They slip past…
Ten Years Old If he were to be believed, he saw an empty spot next to her during arts and crafts time, grabbed the opportunity, and sat down. If she were to be believed, she saw him wandering around with…
Penn Station in New York had been cleared down to the business end. The grand edifice, grander some said than its uptown rival Grand Central Terminal, had been leveled. Actually, it was like something beautiful had been scraped off the…
She closed her eyes and felt the breeze brush her cheeks. Save for the chirping of nattering birds and the burbling of the water over rocks it was silent. When she opened her eyes again, the effect was a burst…
What I remember most was the quiet. You could hear the breeze. You could hear a fly buzzing. You could hear a cow mooing in the distance. I don’t think I ever heard a cow mooing in the distance before.…
Today’s a day to think of the could have beens. When a soldier dies or is maimed, whether in mind or body, they leave behind a tangled web of could have beens. Like balls of yarn that the cat got…