Lock down

vintage skeleton keys

He carries a cache of wooden keys, crafted to unlock splintered hearts. Warped and bowed from years of misuse and salty tears, each heart presents a unique challenge. Rusty hinges complain if asked to open, struggling to engage idle gears. Weather worn, left to despair in harsh elements, each heart holds a treasure trapped inside. … Continue reading Lock down

Prize patrol

letter R mailbox

Wednesday and Saturday mornings we'd walk to the 7-Eleven with Momma to buy $5 worth of Quick-Picks, and if she had extra laundry money, a $2 Powerball ticket. On the way home, us kids would play "when we win the lottery," taking turns calling out what we wanted to buy with all our money. Pete … Continue reading Prize patrol

White icing

She comes across as some sort of ingénue. The virginal girl-next-door who needs to be protected from unsavory elements. The dupes who believe her impersonation, don't know about her surreptitious life carried out in the darkest corners of the most sordid venues. They don't know she has honed her storytelling skills to an art form. … Continue reading White icing