Here’s the second episode of this short story, which revisits Riley Mansfield, the main character in my novel The Audacity of Dope, seven years later. The first episode was called “Seven Years If It’s a Day.” LIKE OLD TIMES To his satisfaction, Riley Mansfield’s position had descended in the public consciousness, but he still …
Tag: religion
A Sign of Weakness
This the fifth installment of a story, preceded, in chronological order, by “A Jogging Contradiction,” “The Good One,” “Contrary to Ordinary,” and “Backsliding.” Surprise was Johnny Jacklin’s preferred mode of operation. He called Eliza at the Forgiveness, Inc., office, and asked if she was up for a nice drive and maybe a hike. She was, …
A Jogging Contradiction
Up this hill and down, and up another hill. Lathered. Rinse. Repeat. I’m tired. It’s so sensuous. Eliza Evermore enjoyed her life in Colorado Springs. It was inspiring to jog in the breathtaking shadow of Pikes Peak. Olympians trained here. She just plodded along. Sometimes she watched the flyboys marching at the Air Force Academy. …
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (Part One)
Claim you’re making / More than you are / Hitch your wagon / To a star / The truth is incidental / To what you gotta say / Those who can’t play ball / Are prone to fade away Riggs Hellams completed his session with the fungo, and now all he had to do …
Gone Back There
I’m still not sure. It seemed real, as real as anything ever. It’s impossible to discuss. I’ve got close friends, sure, but none who would believe this. Among the reasons is I wouldn’t, and I’m more gullible than most. That this happened is inconceivable. It was real. It had to be. Either that or …
The Paved Road
The first thing that I saw / When I woke up this morning / Was bad news on the TV I left on the night before / It’s the same old, sad story / Somebody shot somebody / Most of the time the victim / Was a junkie or a whore. The Weather Channel …
Tattooed Gal
I never liked tattoos / Or bright-red hair / But I love women / Somehow I came across a gal / Who had both of those things … Call me Ishmael. Just kidding. I read novels a lot, but I’ve only seen a whale once, let alone hunted one. I’m Rusty, and not just where …
Facebook Friends, Part Two
It was depressing, this real world. Living in it was not unlike being surrounded by Facebook friends. No honor. All for one but not one for all. Supposedly, playing sports had prepared Jerry Lennart for the real world. Nothing could’ve been further from the truth. Had Jerry really wanted to prepare himself for the real …
It’s A Happy Crazy
Many years ago, it was my job to produce interviews with the members of a championship high school football team. I talked to every member of the team, and the interviews ran as fillers on the local station during the week leading up to the state championship game. When I asked one player what he …
Mainly Running in Place
Last week I was driving through the middle of town, traffic slowed down to a crawl, and I looked to my left where the owner of a new Chinese restaurant was standing on the other side of the window, holding his smiling little boy. The toddler was giggling. I waved at him. He waved back. …
Nightrider's Lament 