people

A Peek Into Another Happening

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I was having coffee when I noticed the person in the next booth. 

What at first had appeared to be a featureless lump of humanity was actually a Black guy wearing a dark shirt and pants. Pulled up around his neck was the collar of an even darker jacket. 

In front of him in somewhat orderly fashion were several sheets of paper on which were columns of handwritten words and numbers. An already pushed-aside empty soft drink container indicated he had been there a while.

He was scrunched so far down in the seat and leaning so far forward that … Read the rest “A Peek Into Another Happening”

31 Days That Led To This Question

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A few minutes after midnight, my wife fell on the way to the bathroom. She wasn’t able to move her left leg without pain, so my only option was to call 911—a personal first.

Hospital staff confirmed the expected—a fractured hip requiring immediate surgery. After four days of recovery in the hospital, she would then be moved to a rehabilitation facility for an extended stay.

Not until after I had returned to the now eerily quiet house shortly before daybreak was I able to think through what had happened in such a short time and try to get my arms … Read the rest “31 Days That Led To This Question”

Searching For Perfect

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Having already brought the iced tea, she was now ready to take my order — the cheeseburger special with fries and slaw on the side. I said it right and she wrote it down right. “Perfect,” she said with a smile, then she was gone.

What went on between her and me was, indeed, perfect. Beyond that, however, was another story. The place was packed so we were lucky to get the high table with the potentially dangerous high stools. After all, an extra powerful sneeze, a reach too far for a lost napkin, or simply attempting to maintain balance … Read the rest “Searching For Perfect”