Earlier This Week
“California, huh?” “Yeah. To see my aunt.” “What part?” “Los Angeles area.” “Oh, yeah? Say ‘hi’ to...
Read More
Squirrel Hunting
The man on his way out of the store did not hold the door for me. This was in spite of the fact that a one second hesitation in his...
Read More
Black Helicopters
I stood atop the tower listening…waiting…checking my watch nervously. After three days of continuous work, it was Friday afternoon and I had just finished decking the third and top tier...
Read More
The Man Store
Two weeks ago I spent two-and-a-half days splitting firewood. Down to the too-long, too-gnarly, too-for-whatever-reason-unsplittable logs that required more than axe, wedge and sledge to rend, and having an uncooperative...
Read More
For the Birds
It’s 7:55 a.m. and I’ve been staring at my computer screen for nearly an hour. Somewhere close by, outside my window, there’s a Carolina wren calling. Twice, I stepped out...
Read More
An Office in Town
Living in Chicago, I heard the same things nearly every day. “Don’t call me ma’am” “I can get the door for myself.” “Do I look like an old lady to...
Read More
Two Knucklehead Theory
I believe that two knuckleheads are better than one knucklehead. I often share this theory with someone after working together to solve a problem. For the two mail carriers on...
Read More
Will that be Tall or Grande?
For many the traveler (and perhaps even more so for the traveling artist or entertainer) an important role is played on the road by coffee—that friend that wakes us in...
Read More
Cockroach Hunter
It’s remarkable how convincingly, at 3:30 in the morning, a dead, brown, rolled up leaf can pass for a monster cockroach - complete with layered, translucent, glistening wings; curiously twitching...
Read More