The day before I started my school suspension — more about that later — we learned of my father’s decision to quit his current job. The two had some things in common, and I thought it an interesting coincidence: No school for me, no work for him. A lecture for me from my mom, and…

Things look a hell of a lot like Christmas. The day after Halloween, for Christ’s sake. Mall decorations. The snow-banked gifts. I shop early. I contemplate what I might afford and stare in the frosted window. The way the employee in the coat and tie looks at me, he dares me to come. His look…

November’s the cruelest month for some. A time for reflecting on past mistakes. A time for choosing best whatever comes. A time for regretting squandering ways. Why do we age in the way that we do? Time stalking us, tick tocking down our days To a point where we’re agonized against some tide, gulping breaths,…

It was humid, but he loved the moist heat, although he often talked about how much he preferred cold weather, would sometimes brag about withstanding nights of extreme cold dressed only in his shorts. He stooped, a bead of sweat falling on the brown bedroom carpet, and slowly rolled open the bottom drawer of his…

Time was time was less important to me It seemed to stretch out slow and endlessly Affirming my dreams as distantly true A glorious bird soared to deep distance A heart ticked on its near to truest course A smile so lingering on lips so close I taste them although it is long since then…

hum some number now for the dying of summer crumbling into fall

I kept slipping off my seat. I ordered another Guinness draft. “You’ve had your limit,” Elvis the bartender replied. “Hey, don’t be cruel, mister bartender.” I pivoted outwards on my seat and waved. “I’m outta here.” Elvis grabbed me by the shoulder. “You’re not driving, brah, are you?” I shrugged his hand aside and swung…

My father sells insurance and real estate and owns a deep-sea tuna fishing boat. My father strips car engines and puts them back together to kill time. My father beats information out of Nazi prisoners of war and then takes them out and shoots them once they have said whatever they can say as fast…