Previous I wake up groggy and disoriented. The family has gone, and the sun is lower in the sky. With thoughts on my mind, I grab my journal and pen and start to write. “The sound of a crackling fire mimics the breeze brushing gently against the leaves. The breeze picks up to the wind,Continue reading “Living After Loss (Book Part 12)”
Category Archives: Writings
Under the Surface (Book Part 11)
Previous I walk up the sidewalk, the same one I’d mindlessly been up thousands of times. Like a dream, the familiarity and comfort splinters; I’m Alice inside the looking glass. Up is down, but with a directive: Say goodbye. Through the ajar front door, I walk. Down the eight-foot brick entry. Into a much too-litContinue reading “Under the Surface (Book Part 11)”
The Spot (Book Part 10)
Previous My mom had the most shiny, reddish-auburn hair you’d ever seen. In her senior high school photo, it flowed elegantly down her mid-back, parted precisely in the middle, and draped over her shoulder. Beauty was a family trait extending to her younger sisters, known as “The four Alexander girls,” whose house on Carriage LaneContinue reading “The Spot (Book Part 10)”
A Dynamic Duo Strikes
As you know, I’m quite the expert at selling second-hand goods. Tonight’s sale featured our nearly perfect condition chair-and-a-half, marked down from $1,000 to $340. The interested buyer’s profile image showcased her in a black lace bra and thong underwear, accessorized with fuzzy gray boots that reached mid-calf. Tattoos crept up both her arms, extendingContinue reading “A Dynamic Duo Strikes”
All in a Day’s Work (Book Part 9)
Previous I calm myself by taking one breath and then another. If I don’t find Jim’s spot, I console myself; it’s not that big of a deal. I’ll sleep in my car, which is what it is. Reassuring myself lessens the threatening thoughts, and it’s a moment more before I shift my car into gearContinue reading “All in a Day’s Work (Book Part 9)”
The Hard Truth (Book Part 8)
Previous Chapter 2 Therapist: What kind of relationship did you have with your Mom?Me: It was ok. Therapist: Did you feel close to her?Me: Not really. It’s weird, but I don’t respect her. My memories are of her burnt out from cooking, cleaning, working, and dealing with my brother. Therapist: Dealing with your brother?Me: Yeah, they hadContinue reading “The Hard Truth (Book Part 8)”
Crumb Dungeon
The area of my shoulder blade, toward my back, where a wing would protrude, feels like it’s twisted in a knot. Tensely moving my arm repeatedly for two days straight is the culprit. Dang painting! With rosy cheeks fresh out of a hot bath, I’m in a curmudgeon of a mood. There I’ve said it,Continue reading “Crumb Dungeon”
The Perfect Spot (Book Part 7)
Previous My attention wanes as Jim’s voice fades into the background, but suddenly, he’s in motion. With a swift, almost unexpected grab, he snatches the fishing pole, its tip swaying in the air, and hands it over to me. “Here, go for it,” he says, his voice filled with frantic energy. I accept it, aContinue reading “The Perfect Spot (Book Part 7)”
Meeting Jim (Book Part 6)
Previous For the thousandth time, my thoughts demand I turn back to the safety of my car, but to turn back now would make my car a prison of social awkwardness. With each step, fuzzy details become more precise: the windblownness of his thick salt and pepper hair, the neatly tucked white T-shirt into blueContinue reading “Meeting Jim (Book Part 6)”
Who’s That Lady? (Book Part 5)
Previous After stepping out of her green Subaru, I examine the wrinkle over the bridge of her nose, the lines around her squinting eyes, and the shape her shoulder made leading to her bicep and wrist. I study the pigment along her cheekbone and next to the veins of her hands. Until that moment, she’sContinue reading “Who’s That Lady? (Book Part 5)”
Going On 40 