Trudy worked at an engineering firm. Joe was the visiting copy machine repair man, or as her office mates called him, the Xerox guy. One day Trudy had to make copies. Joe was at the machine, repairing away. “Oh,” she said. “No copies for me!” “Hey there,” Joe said. “We should catch dinner sometime.” “Okay.”… Continue reading Moon Over Lafayette
The Blond-tourage
(re-run) Every woman over fifty gets the same advice from her hairdresser — to lighten up her hair. As our skin fades and our looks do, too, we need brighter lipstick, sparkly-er clothing and blonder locks to stay looking as young as we can. My apologies to women of color; this may not apply to… Continue reading The Blond-tourage
Virtual Tip Jar Fail
I love live music, and the pandemic has made it harder to find. Some of the local bands have gone online, putting out their virtual tip jar while they play for an hour or two. Sometimes they are sponsored by a business, sometimes they do it from their apartments. I love the Beatles, so when… Continue reading Virtual Tip Jar Fail
The Uses for a Nine Year Old
My Girl Friday (who works for me on Mondays) has a daughter, who sometimes comes along with her to work. Now that her daughter is nine, she is useful in many ways. 1. She entertains my dogs. 2. She entertains my sister, giving her someone to watch. 3. She brings music into the house, since… Continue reading The Uses for a Nine Year Old
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date
(re-run) Ingrid had been on an online dating website for a little over a month. She had tried meeting a few guys but only if they were willing to email back and forth and actually pick up a phone and call. Fred had flirted and called, and now it was time for them to meet.… Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date
Having his Cake
(re-run) We sat at the bar at Il Vecchio’s next to the guy with the shaved head. My girlfriend Fran chatted him up while we waited for a table. We decided to have dinner at the bar. Adam was cute enough but not too tall. He seemed interested in petite Fran, so at the end… Continue reading Having his Cake
Roller Coaster Week
After three chorus performances which were fun but way too close together (three in thirty hours), I woke up Monday to some great news. My Penguin editor emailed me to say that a book I wrote twenty years ago was being picked up by an educational publisher to use in the classroom, and my cut… Continue reading Roller Coaster Week
Pontoon Boat Disaster
(re-run) My parents didn’t know how to swim. When we went on vacation at Clear Lake, Iowa, and Dad wanted to take us out in a rented pontoon boat. My mom objected. Dad won in the end, and the five kids put on our life jackets. I think my mom did, too. I am sure… Continue reading Pontoon Boat Disaster
Short Days, Dangerous Crosswalks, Too Many Books
The winter solstice is behind us, so each day is two minutes longer as we creep our way out of the dark nights of winter. In the meantime, I must remember to take off my sunglasses after following along the freeway sound wall and turning onto the mile-long road to my court. The ten-block drive… Continue reading Short Days, Dangerous Crosswalks, Too Many Books
My Inherited Dog, Boomer
(re-run) Boomer was never my dog, although he came into my care when I married his owner. I’m not sure how old he was when I met him. My dog, Tess, was two and Boomer was older. A small, part Beagle-part terrier, Boomer had not had a regular dog’s life. He had never eaten dog… Continue reading My Inherited Dog, Boomer
Tunes, a Car, and 120 Miles To Go
I visit my little beach house a couple times a a month. Mostly it’s so my potted plants don’t croak (thanks, Mr. Gopher), especially during this very dry winter, but it’s also a change of scenery and a chance to blow the cobwebs out of my head . . . . . . while driving… Continue reading Tunes, a Car, and 120 Miles To Go
Government Cheese and Pinto Beans
(re-run) I was nine or ten when our mom took me and my younger siblings downtown to a place to get some free food for poor people. Our dad was out of work for six weeks. My mother was humiliated. We waited in line until it was our turn. As the worker handed Mom her… Continue reading Government Cheese and Pinto Beans
No Christmas Tree for Me
(re-run from 2018) Eight Christmases in this house and only two trees. Both were living, and they got planted in my yard. Guess what? My yard is full. That’s what happens when you get rid of your grass, fire your gardener, and watch volunteer trees grow on their own, self-planting trees with a little help… Continue reading No Christmas Tree for Me
C is for Choices
Life is a series of choices: what to eat for breakfast, what college to go to, which person to marry, whether to see the cup half full or half empty. It’s much easier to look back at life and say what choices were good or bad. Whatever they were, they got you to where you… Continue reading C is for Choices
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 