As I pushed the old Toro, my head pointed straight down, watching drops of sweat bomb the sidewalk. I was pooped from mowing old lady Maloney's lawn on the hottest day this August (duh). I contemplated whether a beer stolen from my dad's stash or a Coke would do best to save my life. "Hey, Fart Face!" "Hey, Plank," I answered almost automatically. My real...
"And ah, yeah, open this one." "Goodness, you shouldn't have," April gushed. "You've already made my day, sweetie." "One more goodie won't hurt, will it?" Larry smiled benignly as he handed her the final wrapped package. "Well," she said, smiling brightly. "I suppose I won't let it." He laughed. "Let's hope not." The Phaidon coffee-table tome truly did...
Laura's day of shopping had been as enjoyable as usual, but without Denis's company there'd been something indefinable missing. True, he whined as much as any man about following her from store to store, about waiting while she pawed through racks of garments and dived in and out of fitting rooms, and about sitting around while she tried on pair after pair o...
Peter didn't have to tell Jennifer the drive from the hospital to his apartment tired him. She watched him creep from the car to the elevator holding his body stiffly, fighting the pain in his chest. In the third bedroom, Jennifer dragged the twin beds together. "A shower will make you feel better. Then, get into bed," she reassured him. Gently, she tugge...
The phone interrupted Peter. "You're wanted. It's urgent and I can't handle this one." Mark sounded worried. "I'll be back in a minute." Peter tossed the words back at Jennifer and Andrew as he charged down the stairs to his office. Mark held out the phone. It was Susie calling from next door. "Get in there and fight. I saw her enter the workshop. You kno...
Michelle's Diary: How I Lost My Virginity August 27, Freshman Year Dear Diary, So much has happened since my last entry! College is starting soon, I've moved into the dorm (out of my parent's house finally!) and here's the big news... I lost my virginity! I know, I know-- I always said I was going to wait until I was married, or at least truly in love. M...
1. Chapter One: The Group Home I looked up at the big gray mansion and bit my lip. I knew that I was 18 and lucky to be out of the group home at my age, since I was no longer cute or young enough to be considered adoptable to most people. I looked at the mansion. It was big, modern, and elegant but still had something creepy to it. "You are very lucky to...
Author's note: I met a young Eurasian saleswoman by the name of Shelby while Christmas shopping a several years ago. She was kind enough to share her post-graduation dreams of traveling to her father's home of Ireland and finding her roots. From this chance encounter, this tale was spun. Here's hoping you enjoy the telling. As always, the story characters ar...
INTRODUCTION TO READERS WET ENCOUNTERS is a novel-length story of love, lust and betrayal that takes place on a tropical Pacific island during the second half of the twentieth century. It's seventeen chapters pivot around a single event that takes place when two people are forced to take refuge in an abandoned cabin when they are cut off by rising floodw...
Dramatis Personæ "We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time." — T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding A whistle at noon signaled the end of the Saturday shift. The construction crew locked away their tools and secured the site before heading back into town; except...