That crazy dog is driving me out of my mind. It is a short drive, I know, but is this trip really necessary? It is getting so that I cannot even sit down for fear of her surprise thumbtacks and whoopie cushions, like the secret teeth and tongue of an overstuffed armchair. I am talking about my neighbor's stupid dog: That scrawny excuse of one man's best friend that yips and yaps and hypertrots around the block like a child's mechanical toy in heat--the dog that is playing all these practical...

Her name was Violet. She was 77 years old. She had been living in the pew for nearly two weeks. She had no place else to go. "How wonderful to see you, Violet." Mrs. White hugged her briefly and kissed her pale cheek. "How are you?" "I've been lonely," said Violet. "Oh, look at the time! I have to run, dear. Take care." It was a beautiful pew. Elaborate panels depicting the life of Christ were set in its massive oak sides. Violet loved to run her gnarled hands along the polished surface of t...

P.O.E.T.S. Day was an end-of-the-week joke that allegedly originated in the Urology department. From there it spread like a disease to the other levels of the hospital, eventually coloring our conversations even in the hallowed surgical units on the seventh floor.It meant Friday, the day when everyone's attitude seemed to be, "Piss on everything, tomorrow's Saturday!" That particular P.O.E.T.S. Day the surgery schedule had been the bare bones of what it usually was, with no real flesh and bl...

Micky did not understand it,nor could he have explained it, but he had wakened inside his dream. That is, he was fully awake--of that he had no doubt--yet he was dreaming.He was ten feet in the air, flying over Grandma's driveway. Arms stretched out before him,belly down, his legs trailing behind him, like on the Superman TV show. He was flying! He was in the air, moving along like a helium-filled balloon in the breeze. So, he knew he was dreamig. He had to be.He was not able to fly when he ...

Micky did not understand it,nor could he have explained it, but he had wakened inside his dream. That is, he was fully awake--of that he had no doubt--yet he was dreaming.He was ten feet in the air, flying over Grandma's driveway. Arms stretched out before him,belly down, his legs trailing behind him, like on the Superman TV show. He was flying! He was in the air, moving along like a helium-filled balloon in the breeze. So, he knew he was dreamig. He had to be.He was not able to fly when he ...