March 10th, 2017 § permalink
I guess I could tell you what his sign said, but I won’t. Not because I think I’m saving any souls or sparing any innocent ears, but because it pleases me that not spreading his words will make him feel pain, just a tad.
But for the story’s sake, I should describe the man. No good tale without a protagonist, eh?
He was an awful human being decked up to tell the world how awful he was. » Read the rest of this entry «
March 8th, 2017 § permalink
He sat on a bench on the Red Line platform at Chicago Avenue, » Read the rest of this entry «
March 6th, 2017 § permalink
On this day in history, a woman with red earmuffs walked a French bulldog.
On this day in history, a different woman with a crisp short haircut and six-inch stiletto boots stumbled for a second on the pavement by a nail salon.
On this day in history, Bayer patented aspirin, the Supreme Court issued a decision in the Dred Scott case, Rob Reiner was born and an old man in a Union Pacific cap and Metra jacket flipped through a calendar of the muscle cars of his youth as he rode the Brown Line to work. » Read the rest of this entry «
March 3rd, 2017 § permalink
Text message. 5:39 p.m. Wednesday, March 1.
I’m here. It smells amazing. You’re both lucky I’m a nice man and will wait for you.
Response. 5:43 p.m. Wednesday, March 1.
I’m on the bus. It smells like the bus. » Read the rest of this entry «
March 1st, 2017 § permalink
“He shoved her?”
“Yeah, just shoved her.”
“Was it like playful?”
“No, he just shoved her.” » Read the rest of this entry «
February 27th, 2017 § permalink
Hello, scientists with a story!
Those who read the site frequently know I intermittently produce spoken word events. The most recent was 40 Hours to Trump, which raised nearly $1,200 for local groups working in areas targeted by the then-incoming Trump administration. Speakers included schoolteachers, volunteers, activists and immigrants.
We’re doing it again, but this time, we only want scientists. We want to give a stage — and an audience — to voices the current administration is trying to silence. » Read the rest of this entry «
February 24th, 2017 § permalink
I saw a homeless man pull a machete out of his shopping cart on Thursday. » Read the rest of this entry «
February 22nd, 2017 § permalink
“I wouldn’t get walled up for that,” she said, passing me the small snifter of medium dry sherry. “I would for a Palo Cortado, though.”
I took the glass, sniffed and sipped the amontillado. It had a semi-pleasant taste that I liked quite a bit. Not good exactly, but unforgettable.
It was a taste I’ll never taste again at a place I’ll never go to. » Read the rest of this entry «
February 20th, 2017 § permalink
“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters — one represents danger and one represents a weaving machine, or small chair.”
– John F. Kennedy, Remarks at the Convocation of the United Negro College Fund, April 12, 1959 » Read the rest of this entry «
February 17th, 2017 § permalink
The downtown whispers at night. » Read the rest of this entry «
