Cotton
Brazen and vulnerable in my mother’s bed, wrapping my skinny arm over my tummy and twisting myself to hide my brokenness. Holding my body in such a way so it can disguise all the spaghetti shaped scars on my stomach. My old man is standing at the door, with a half-lit rollie clamped rakishly between [...]
James’ Mojo
11 June 1990.
“Nothing makes sense…” It was an abrupt declaration. All evening James seemed unsettled – somewhat disturbed.
“What’s the matter?” I asked. We were sitting in his heap of a car outside Lakeview Park.
“I’m tired,” he said. I noted the tautness in his vacant gaze.“Tired? Tired of what?” I was desperate to understand.
“I’ve [...]
FLOWERS
I went into her room having already gotten the scoop from her previous nurse during report. She’d been married for years with two kids, one in elementary school, one in junior high. Labor was being induced at 38 weeks because the baby looked (on ultrasound) like he might be a big guy. She was petite [...]
All for charity
The shoplifter was one of our most regular customers. For that matter, he was one of our most regular shoplifters. We had plenty. We wondered whether, since it was a charity bookshop, people who wouldn’t steal from normal shops felt that it was quite all right to pop in and help themselves when [...]