My journal of big words and pretty pictures
Claudine preferred her men bald. She even seduced a few admirers to shave their heads. “Why run your fingers through his hair when stroking his naked scalp is much more sensual,” she’d coo. In reality, her cranial petting was more explorative than erotic. As a practitioner of the defunct medical field of phrenology, she was … Continue reading The measure of a man
Always falling short of his officious, ex-military-man dad’s unattainable expectations, the fledgling sea knight took flight as soon as his wings could carry him over and out of the nest.
“Any last words? This is your final chance to make amends, to give your victim’s family some small measure of peace.” The cleric stood at the foot of the executioner’s table, looking down at Ray Vanderweele. The cleric’s dark grey cassock covered his entire body from the top of his sensible, black leather shoes to the … Continue reading Reprieve
The family was gathered for holiday dinner. Being the youngest adult, I still got relegated to the kid’s table where the conversation was a scurrilous attack on Debbie Bishop who had brazenly flirted with cousin Pooky’s tenth-grade boyfriend. The level of vitriol spewing from these high school Mean Girls rivaled the juiciest TMZ scandelmongering. Talk at the … Continue reading Not so silent night
She danced around the atelier, turning her head to her shoulder so she could watched herself in the mirrors as she twirled and pirouetted. Her arms stretched out to her sides, curved as if holding onto a dance partner, she softly hummed along with the violins in Brahms’ waltz. Head up, shoulders relaxed, posture held … Continue reading May I have this dance
He sat in the corner of the back pew trying to follow along with the altar call hymn. He stumbled over the phrasing, the words alien on his tongue. “Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind…” He held the last note too long, his off-key voice echoing off the stone walls well after the other … Continue reading Take me to church
Thin spiral notebook 