Slowly and resolutely I coiled my hand into a tight ball, looking forward to letting it rest on the underside of Freddie Fink’s jaw. Freddie Fink was aptly named. Before I knew it, I had let loose with a holler that would make your ears burn just before my fist came in contact with Freddy’s blotchy fat face. He emitted a squeak akin to a trapped mouse, while retreating lickety split down the sidewalk, his legs wobbling below the kneecaps if that’s possible. For about five minutes, I was the m...

Ever since I was a child seated on the throne reading Reader’s Digest, I’ve had a singular goal—to be an adult sitting on the throne reading my own article in RD. At the onset, this may seem like a noble objective and attainable even, except for two minor obstacles (1) Reader’s Digest does not accept unsolicited manuscripts and (2) I’m not in the least bit famous (another apparent requisite of RD writers). That’s not to say I haven’t had my five minutes in the sun. I was once crowned Sweethea...

Ever since I was a child seated on the throne reading Reader’s Digest, I’ve had a singular goal—to be an adult sitting on the throne reading my own article in RD. At the onset, this may seem like a noble objective and attainable even, except for two minor obstacles (1) Reader’s Digest does not accept unsolicited manuscripts and (2) I’m not in the least bit famous (another apparent requisite of RD writers). That’s not to say I haven’t had my five minutes in the sun. I was once crowned Sweethea...

Dawn came in with a whisper. There was no fanfare, just a gradual exchange of moonlight to sunlight in various shades of grey. But it was enough to awaken my aging eyes and get my bones moving in a vertical direction. I prayed that maybe today would bring much-needed rains to my little town. The grass has withered and faded and brown tufts have long since replaced the lovely emerald canopy that once covered the rich, black Iowa soil. As if on cue, as afternoon approached, out of the grey atmo...

Dawn came in with a whisper. There was no fanfare, just a gradual exchange of moonlight to sunlight in various shades of grey. But it was enough to awaken my aging eyes and get my bones moving in a vertical direction. I prayed that maybe today would bring much-needed rains to my little town. The grass has withered and faded and brown tufts have long since replaced the lovely emerald canopy that once covered the rich, black Iowa soil. And as afternoon approached, out of the grey atmosphere, th...

The scarlet skirt lay high above her dimpled knee. Youth has passed and Recognition is all but gone. No one and everyone notices The furrows beneath her eyes, The sallow tinge to her hair, The smokey aura around her faded lips. She clings, for there are no others, Just strident memories Of lovers who found their way Out. She readjusts the scarlet skirt Inching it up just a bit farther Hoping the man in the black shirt Will look her way. When he doesn’t she sulks And remembers when Her face wa...

The scarlet skirt lay high above her dimpled knee. Youth has passed and Recognition is all but gone. No one and everyone notices The furrows beneath her eyes, The sallow tinge to her hair, The smokey aura around her faded lips. She clings, for there are no others, Just strident memories Of lovers who found their way Out. She readjusts the scarlet skirt Inching it up just a bit farther Hoping the man in the black shirt Will look her way. When he doesn’t she sulks And remembers when Her face wa...

The scarlet skirt lay high above her dimpled knee. Youth has passed and Recognition is all but gone. No one and everyone notices The furrows beneath her eyes, The sallow tinge to her hair, The smokey aura around her faded lips. She clings, for there are no others, Just strident memories Of lovers who found their way Out. She readjusts the scarlet skirt Inching it up just a bit farther Hoping the man in the black shirt Will look her way. When he doesn’t she sulks And remembers when Her face wa...

On palest skin, the faintest hint of buff begins as rays of gold rest peacefully on limbs, tis nature’s vanity. How warm the golden moments are on skin so fair which also shines on wisps of willow hair and all humanity. Soft beads of fluid from the skies fall onto lashes of her eyes and wash the dust from aging skin restoring youthful air again. She dons a robe of verdant green to cover naked limbs so lean, then shakes her head as tresses fair fall in the breeze to dry her hair. A kindly curr...

On palest skin, the faintest hint of buff begins as rays of gold rest peacefully on limbs, tis nature’s vanity. How warm the golden moments are on skin so fair which also shines on wisps of willow hair and all humanity. Soft beads of fluid from the skies fall onto lashes of her eyes and wash the dust from aging skin restoring youthful air again. She dons a robe of verdant green to cover naked limbs so lean, then shakes her head as tresses fair fall in the breeze to dry her hair. A kindly curr...