"Wow. You're tall," said the stranger in the elevator looking at me. My grandmother narrowed her eyes. "No. You are short." I focused on the panelling while we finished the silent ride to the 7th floor. Tonight was my last acting class, and the instructor video taped our final scenes. Four other pairs went before …
Are you the hero?
"Stand next to the tall American girl and I'll take your picture," the man said to his 15 year old son. I was paid to go along with such requests, and so I smiled at the mortified teen and waited. The young man did as he told, but he did not look at me. Why …
With Apologies to Men Without Pants
"He dropped his pants," I said. A few days before I had been walking home from school. Some kids had slashed my bike tires, snapped the bike flag, and cracked the mirror on the handle bars. This guy, alone in a yellow VW Beetle, honked. When I looked, he did his best to expose himself--while …
Dad, his chainsaw, and his wife…
His third wife pours ketchup on the floor and knocks over the furniture. She leaves the kitchen door ajar, and when dad pulls in from working his second job, she sprawls on the hallway floor. It is after 10 pm. Dad comes into through the door jangling his keys like he always does to let …
What Einstein Really Wanted!
As long as I'm daydreaming and not getting things done... Why shouldn't he get a little wishful thinking too? And you can play with Einstein if you like. He's very agreeable here. Thanks JES! * In other news, in NaNoWriMo, for what it is worth, I've written 23,001 words. Whether ot nor any of these …
It is not polite to whisper.
"Oh Mighty Isis!" S. said and crossed her newly bangled wrists in super power mode. Her eyes widened. "Oh shit." We stood in Pier 1 Imports and she was looking over my shoulder out into the mall. "What is it?" I asked. She laughed, pulled the bracelets off, and tossed them back in the display …
The Fight
Rehearse for acting class (a scene from Chapter Two by Neil Simon), grade papers, create lesson plans, host write-ins, write novel, make art, play with kiddo, do the housework, prepare for teacher development readings, answer emails, check blogs, write blog, mail packages, get kiddo to do his homework, walk dog, pay bills, read more books, …
Another Lesson in What You Can and Can Not Do
It takes a while to get this lodge in my head, but I can't do it all. How about you?
Talking in Cars
"You girls okay?" Dad shouted from the kitchen door. It must have been after midnight and we were sixteen and sitting in my dad's car. The windows were rolled down. We could barely hear the cars from the highway on the other side of the cow pasture. The lake was still and the sky clear. …
Local Hero Saves Cliche from Burning Manuscript
Down the street from us is a house with the 10 Commandments posted in the yard. When an Obama/Biden sign popped up next to it, my husband and I drove around the block just to make sure we weren't imagining things. We had our notions about the kind of people who want the 10 Commandments …
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Marta Bacon 