Learning to Walk
I sat in the li-roo-roo and rubbed my step-outs against the bumps of the rug until they got warm. It had been cold in the walls, the… Read More »Learning to Walk
January 2017
Mr. Hot Spot
He couldn’t get the fertilizer stink out of his nostrils. The sacks he delivered were made from liquid raw sewage brewed locally in Bakersfield. The… Read More »Mr. Hot Spot
Down Payment, Redwood City
A drug dealer, M, helped us with the down payment of our house. He was one of my husband’s oldest friends. They’d grown up together… Read More »Down Payment, Redwood City
Almost, Eddie Palmieri in the Bronx
First-timers expect to see Arthur Murray standing in a striped bow-tie, but all they see is me in my 501s and a black turtleneck, and… Read More »Almost, Eddie Palmieri in the Bronx
The Slippery Slope
I’m climbing halfway up the side of a slippery glass mountain, which is one of many I must ascend before approaching a volcanic range that… Read More »The Slippery Slope
Rabbet Joints: Avatar Continua
When I was married, I’d sat at my desk for four months waiting to be transferred to another department, and because none of my superiors… Read More »Rabbet Joints: Avatar Continua
Here Comes Another One
I’m running down the side of this volcanic mountain and I get my toe stuck on this overhang. In the distance, I see a ghoul… Read More »Here Comes Another One
Avatar Creator Drinks Coffee
Doctor said I’m supposed to start my day with a good breakfast. Last visit, my daughter had deposited a ten-pound bag of French roast beans… Read More »Avatar Creator Drinks Coffee
The Avatar Talks
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that story plus the parts about his being an alcoholic. When you’re somebody’s avatar, you get… Read More »The Avatar Talks
Introducing the Avatar
For the first time in years I could see veins on leaves and recognize moles on faces, which was well worth wearing a patch and… Read More »Introducing the Avatar